Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Tuesday warned against "backsliding" toward protectionism as Southeast Asian economic ministers launched a week of talks to strengthen regional trade links.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the annual meeting of ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Lee said the negotiations came at a key moment after the breakdown last month of global trade talks in Geneva.

While a strong rules-based global trading regime remained the best option for the world economy, ASEAN "should continue to integrate and liberalise" its own economies, he said.

"Our purpose is not to create a trade bloc, we are committed to open regionalism and adopt an inclusive approach," Lee said.

ASEAN's efforts will "demonstrate the practical benefits of economic openness and contribute in a modest way to maintaining the global momentum for trade liberalisation," he said.

But Lee urged ministers to be "watchful of any backsliding and resist the temptation to raise trade barriers or resort to protectionist practices for lack of an overall agreement."

ASEAN, a 10-nation grouping of about 550 million people, has been among the most active regional organizations promoting free trade agreements (FTAs).

At the Singapore meeting, which ends Friday, ASEAN is expected to seal an FTA with Asian giant India covering merchandise trade.

The ASEAN-India FTA, covering more than 1.5 billion people, is expected to be signed in December during the annual ASEAN summit in Bangkok.

Meanwhile, ASEAN members have signed agreements allowing their nations' accountants, dentists and doctors to work in each other's countries. The countries signed the mutual recognition arrangements on Monday on the eve of their annual gathering, a statement from the Singapore hosts said.

Under the pacts, ASEAN states will mutually recognize qualifications and standards covering accountants, dentists and medical practitioners so they can practice in any ASEAN country.

The accords will also ensure that professional standards in an ASEAN member state are maintained, monitored and regulated.

ASEAN has already signed similar arrangements covering architects, surveyors, engineers and nurses, the statement said.

The measures to facilitate movement of professionals within the region are part of ASEAN's efforts toward economic integration, which include easing the flow of goods and services as well as investments.

ASEAN groups 10 countries with different levels of economic development, ranging from impoverished Laos to high-tech Singapore and the world's most populous Muslim country Indonesia.

Its other members are military-ruled Myanmar, oil-rich Brunei, Cambodia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

The group aims to achieve a single market and manufacturing base by 2015 to raise ASEAN's profile in the face of competition from China and India.