1. The Fifth Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers for Science and Technology was held in Singapore on 21-22 September 1992.
2. The Meeting was attended by H.E. Pengiran Dato Seri Paduka Dr Haji Ismail bin Pengiran Haji Damit, Minister of Development, Brunei Darussalam; H.E. Professor Dr Ing B.J. Habibie, Minister of State for Research and Technology and the Environment, Indonesia; H.E. Datuk Law Hieng Ding, Minister of Science, Technology and the Environment, Malaysia; H.E. Ricardo M. Lantican, Undersecretary, Department of Science of Technology, representing H.E. Dr. Ricardo T. Gloria, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology, the Philippines; H.E. Mr Lim Boon Heng, Senior Minister of State for Trade and Industry, Singapore; Mr Kasem Snidvongs Na Ayudhaya, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, representing H.E. Dr Phaichitr Uathavikul, the caretaker Minister of Science, Technology and Environment, Thailand; and members of their delegations.
3. H.E. Mr. V. Danabalan, Chairman, ASEAN Committee on Science and Technology (ASEAN COST), and Dr Amru Hydari Nazif from the ASEAN Secretariat were in attendance.
4. Prior to the Meeting, the Ministers and their delegations attended the opening of the Third ASEAN Science and Technology Week which was officiated by H.E. BG(Res) Lee Hsien Loong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade & Industry, Singapore.
5. In accordance with ASEAN tradition, H.E. Mr Lim Boon Heng, Senior Minister of State for Trade & Industry, Singapore, as the host country, and Mr Kasem Snidvongs Na Ayudhaya, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Thailand, as the host of the next Meeting, were unanimously elected Chairman and Vice-Chairman of the Meeting, respectively.
6. In their individual statements, the Ministers noted hat the Singapore Declaration and the Programme of Action for the enhancement of ASEAN Cooperation, as approved Heads by of Government in Singapore in January 1992, and the need for ASEAN member countries to formulate common positions on technology transfer and related issues arising from the recent United Nations Conference on Environment and Development held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, have provided a conducive framework for the further intensification of ASEAN cooperation on science and technology to the future economic competitiveness of ASEAN, and expressed the need for greater efforts in areas of cooperation which have good commercial potential and increased private sector participation.
7. The Meeting reviewed progress made in the implementation of the Programme of Action pertaining to science and technology approved at the ASEAN Heads of Government Meeting held in Singapore in January 1992, which directs members to:
(a) consider mechanisms for greater self-reliance in project funding;
(b) build R&D infrastructure including training with a view to developing indigenous technological and innovative capability;
(c) promote greater private and public sector collaboration especially in R&D in key technology areas which have potential for commercialisation: and
(d) continue active collaboration with Dialogue Partners in S&T development and management, especially in fostering industry and institutional linkages and strategic alliances with Dialogue Partners, industries and institutions.
8. The Meeting noted the significant achievements of ASEAN cooperation in science and technology in the fields of food science and technology, non-conventional energy, meteorology and geophysics, marine sciences, biotechnology, microelectronics and computers, material science, and infrastructure and resources development, and urged ASEAN COST to intensify these cooperative efforts.
9. The Meeting agreed on the following steps to further advance science and technology cooperation in ASEAN:
(a) the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science and Technology be reviewed and revised to enhance future cooperation, especially in new emerging technologies;
(b) indigenous technological and innovative capabilities be strengthened by developing and networking with the specialised technological centres and centres of excellence;
(c) acknowledging the contributions made by and recognising the significant benefits from active cooperation with the Dialogue Partners, that cooperative programmes with Dialogue Partners be further strengthened; and
(d) towards greater self-reliance in funding, that other mechanisms such as direct cost-sharing amongst member countries be established, and steps be taken to enlarge the ASEAN Science Fund.
10. The Ministers welcomed the proposal from the People's Republic of China to establish cooperation with ASEAN on science and technology, which was presented to the 25th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Manila, July 1992.
11. The Ministers congratulated Singapore for the successful organization of the Third ASEAN Science and Technology Week (TASTW). The Ministers also expressed their appreciation to the Governments of Australia, Canada and New Zealand for providing direct financial support to the organization of TASTW.
12. The Sixth Meeting of ASEAN Ministers for Science and Technology will be held in Thailand in conjunction with the Fourth ASEAN Science and Technology Week in 1995.
13. The Ministers from Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Ministerial representatives of the Philippines and Thailand expressed their sincere appreciation to the Government and the people of the Republic Singapore for the warm hospitality accorded them and the excellent arrangements made for the Meeting.
14. The Meeting was held in the traditional spirits of ASEAN cordiality and solidarity.
