Re: ASEAN states to test readiness on bird flu pandemic
41st AMM
17 - 24 July 2008
Shangri-La, Singapore
Opening Remarks by Mr George Yeo, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Singapore and Co-Chair of ASEAN-US Dialogue Relations, at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference 10+1 Session with the United States Of America, 23 July 2008, Singapore
Excerpts:
10. In short, no major strategic issue in Asia can be resolved without the active participation of the US. The US has also played a key role in responding to transboundary challenges. For all major challenges - be it climate change, environmental protection,
pandemics, terrorism, disaster response or energy security - we in ASEAN welcome close cooperation with the US. We will always remember the help which the US gave Indonesia after the Boxing Day tsunami and its willingness to help Myanmar after Cyclone Nargis.
http://www.41amm.sg/amm/index.php/w...ited_states_of_america_23_july_2008_singapore
41st AMM
17 - 24 July 2008
Shangri-La, Singapore
Statement by Mr George Yeo, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore and Chairman of the 41st ASEAN Standing Committee
at the Closing Ceremony of the 41st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Handing Over of the ASEAN Standing Committee, 24 July 2008
Excerpt:
5. This brings me to the last ?C?, the challenges that the region face. The world is changing rapidly. We don?t know how badly we will hit by the gathering financial storm in the US. China?s and India?s growth will provide us some buffer. There is however little doubt that the global economic centre of gravity will shift across the Pacific in the coming decades. Such a major shift is never smooth and we must expect problems of various kinds to surface. Building a robust regional political architecture must be our key priority. We must also respond to transboundary challenges from climate change, natural disasters
and the threat of pandemics to global terrorism and food/energy security. At the ASEAN Summit in Singapore, we agreed that sustainable development, protection of the environment and climate change should be high up on our list of priorities. After Cyclone Nargis, ASEAN played a critical role in building a bridge of trust between the Myanmar Government and the international community.
http://www.41amm.sg/amm/index.php/w..._of_the_asean_standing_committee_24_july_2008
ASEAN Chairman's Statement on the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC) +1 Sessions, 23 July 2008, Singapore
Excerpt:
Australia
2. The ASEAN PMC+1 with Australia was co-chaired by H.E. Sahas Bunditkul, Deputy Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, and the Honourable Stephen Smith, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Australia. The Meeting reviewed the Plan of Action to Implement the ASEAN-Australia Comprehensive Partnership adopted at the margins of the 3rd East Asia Summit in November 2007 in Singapore. There was agreement to enhance cooperation in the areas of disaster management, climate change, environment sustainability, communicable diseases, economic integration and people-to-people contact. The Meeting directed that the MOU on the Second Phase of the ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Programme (AADCP II) be concluded as soon as possible, and called for the early conclusion of the ASEAN-Australia/New Zealand FTA.
Canada
4. The ASEAN PMC+1 with Canada was co-chaired by H.E. Pham Quang Vinh, ASEAN SOM Leader of Viet Nam, and the Honourable Deepak Obhrai, Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and to the Ministry of International Cooperation of Canada. The Meeting reviewed the implementation of the 2nd ASEAN-Canada Joint Cooperation Work Plan (2007-2010), which outlined cooperation in priority areas, such as counter-terrorism and transnational crime, economic cooperation,
health security, inter-faith dialogue, technical assistance and capacity-building within the ASEAN Secretariat. Officials were directed to continue their work to enhance ASEAN-Canada cooperation, including submitting a Joint Declaration on Enhanced Partnership between ASEAN and Canada to the Ministers for adoption in Thailand in 2009. The Meeting noted that Canada was considering ASEAN's invitation to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and to appoint an appropriate representative to ASEAN.
China
5. The ASEAN PMC+1 with China was co-chaired by HRH Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Brunei Darussalam, and H.E. Yang Jiechi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of China. .The Meeting expressed satisfaction that ASEAN-China cooperation continued to grow from strength to strength and observed that China was one of ASEAN?s most active Dialogue Partners. Given international concern over spiraling food and oil prices, the Meeting agreed to further intensify ASEAN-China cooperation in the areas of agriculture, energy, climate change,
and environmental protection. The Meeting welcomed a proposal to work with China to enhance rice yields. The Meeting called for the expeditious conclusion of the Investment Agreement of the ASEAN-China FTA, and the MOU for the Establishment of the ASEAN-China Centre. The Meeting also called for the liberalisation and facilitation of ASEAN-China air transport services and the Singapore-Kunming Rail Link, to enhance business, tourism and people-to-people interaction. China?s announcement of its decision to appoint an Ambassador for ASEAN was welcomed. This was acknowledged as a clear sign of China?s commitment to ASEAN. The Meeting conveyed their best wishes to China for the upcoming Beijing Olympics in August 2008.
8. The Meeting recalled the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit in Singapore in November 2007 marking 30 years of ASEAN-EU cooperation, and tasked officials to follow-up on the Plan of Action to Implement the Nuremberg Declaration on the ASEAN-EU Enhanced Partnership. The Meeting agreed to
further intensify cooperation in the areas of climate change and the environment, energy and food security, and disaster management. The Meeting expressed support for and continued implementation of existing ASEAN-EU mechanisms including the Trans-Regional EU-ASEAN Trade Initiative (TREATI), the Regional EU-ASEAN Dialogue Instrument (READI), and the ASEAN Programme for Regional Integration Support (APRIS) II. The Meeting took note of the work of the Joint Committee Meetings for the ASEAN-EU FTA. The EU appreciated the ASEAN Chair's efforts to complete the amendment of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia, and looked forward to the EU's accession to the TAC. The Meeting looked forward to the next ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting to be held in Cambodia in May 2009.
India
9. The ASEAN PMC+1 with India was co-chaired by H.E. Dr. N. Hassan Wirajuda, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, and H.E. Anand Sharma, Minister of State for External Affairs of India. ASEAN expressed its condolences to India on the recent bombing of the Indian Embassy in Kabul and the Meeting reaffirmed its commitment to collectively combat terrorism. The Meeting looked forward to the expeditious conclusion of the Trade-in-Goods Agreement under the ASEAN-India FTA, which will signal India?s strategic engagement with ASEAN and catalyze economic cooperation between both sides. The Meeting welcomed India?s contribution of US$1 million to operationalise the ASEAN-India Science and Technology Fund and looked forward to the establishment of the ASEAN-India Green Fund that would promote climate change adaptation and mitigation projects. The Meeting also welcomed India?s announcement to establish IT training centres in Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam. India also agreed to ASEAN?s proposal to convene an ASEAN-India Agricultural Ministers Meeting
to address the issue of food security.
Japan
12. The Meeting welcomed the ratification by Japan of the ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership, and looked forward to its early implementation. The Meeting took note of PM Fukuda?s declaration that the next 30 years would be the ?thirty years of bridging Asian development gaps?. In this regard, Japan pledged to support ASEAN?s community-building efforts through strong support for the Initiative for ASEAN Integration. The Meeting also stressed the need for closer cooperation in promoting energy efficiency, renewable energy, food security
and combating infectious diseases. In this regard, the Meeting welcomed Japan?s announcement that it would enhance ASEAN?s pandemic reaction capacity by stockpiling an additional half a million doses of anti-viral medication in each of the ASEAN countries. The Meeting also discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in disaster management and relief. Japan?s announcement of its intention to appoint an Ambassador for ASEAN was welcomed. This was acknowledged as a clear sign of Japan?s commitment to ASEAN.
United States of America
20. The Meeting noted with satisfaction the progress of the various areas of cooperation between ASEAN and the U.S. including the launch of the ASEAN Development Vision to Advance National Cooperation and Economic Integration (ADVANCE) programme initiated by the U.S. in February 2008. The ADVANCE programme pledged US$150 million over the next 8 years to implement the goals of the ASEAN-U.S. Cooperation Plan, the ASEAN-U.S. Enhanced Partnership, the ASEAN-U.S. Trade and Investment Framework Arrangement (TIFA), and the Vientiane Action Programme (VAP). In this regard, the Meeting noted with satisfaction the broad and deep relations between ASEAN and the U.S, and agreed to further intensify cooperation in the various areas discussed, such as trade, investment, climate change and the environment, education,
energy security, food security, disaster management, science and technology, and English language training.
http://www.41amm.sg/amm/index.php/w...erences_pmc_1_sessions_23_july_2008_singapore
