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MANILA, Philippines (AP) - An economic and political integration in Asia based on the European Union model is unlikely at this stage because the region is too diverse, the president of the Asian Development Bank said.
Asian nations are at varying stages of economic development, and the notion of a joint framework that requires relinquishing a certain level of economic sovereignty can be a very difficult "sell" to national populations, Haruhiko Kuroda told a business conference Thursday.
"We should rely on a pragmatic step-by-step bottom-up approach, rather than on conceiving and implementing a comprehensive pan-Asian vision or grand plan, as was done in Europe," Kuroda said.
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