SINGAPORE, Aug 26 (Reuters) - Australia and New Zealand are likely to sign free-trade agreements with 10 Southeast Asian nations within weeks, in a deal aimed at boosting trade between the Pacific countries and a market of over half a billion people.

'I understand it's only a matter of protocol, a matter of procedure. We're working on one country which has some difficulty in this protocol but we think that it's within reach,' the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan told Reuters.

Speaking on the sidelines of a meeting of economy ministers of ASEAN and other Asia-Pacific countries in Singapore, Surin declined to identify the country.

Last month, Indonesia temporarily banned imports of halal-processed beef from New Zealand, a move that raised fears about its possible impact on the proposed trade deal between Australia, New Zealand and ASEAN.

'Not end of this meeting, but within a few weeks, Australia and New Zealand and ASEAN will conclude,' Surin said.