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Joint Press Release Of The Sixth Meeting Of The ASEAN Ministers On Agriculture And Forestry
Manila, 4-5 October 1984 |
1. The Sixth Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers Agriculture and Forestry as held on 4 - 5 October 1984 in Manila, Philippines. The Meeting Vas officially declared open by His Excellency, Ferdinand E. Marcos, President of the Republic of the Philippines.
2, The Meeting as attended by H.E. Dato Abdul Rahman Taib, Minister of Development of Negara Brunei Darussalam; H.E. Mr. Achmad Affandi, Minister of Agriculture, Indonesia; H.E. Mr Anwar Ibrahim, Minister of Agriculture Malaysia; H.E. Dr. Salvador H. Escudero. III Minister of Agriculture and Food, Philippines; H.E. Mr. Rodolfo del Rosario, Minister of Natural Resources, Philippines; H.E. Dr. Vicente B. Valdepenas, Jr., Minister of Economic Planning National Economic Development Authority Philippines; H.E. Mr. Jesus T. Tanchanco, Minister of Food/Administrator, National Food Authority; H.E. Mr. Abdul Azlz Bin Mahmood, Ambassador of the Republic of Singapore to the Philippines; and H.E. Mr. Narong Wongwan, Minister of Agri- culture and Cooperatives, Thailand; and their respective delegations. H. E. Mr. Phan Wannamethee, the Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat, ,as also present.
3. H.E. President Ferdinand E. Marcos in his opening address, cited the need to further transform ASEAN into a strong economic grouping. He declared that intra-regional trade could still be improved considering the number of complementary commodities ,which could be changed further among the member countries particularly in the agricultural sector. He further stressed the importance f regular meetings of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry as a vital factor in forging the expansion of intra- ASEAN trade.
4. H.E. Dr. Salvador H. Escudero III and H.E. Mr. Narong Wongwan were elected Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively.
5. The Ministers reviewed the progress of the various projects undertaken by the Committee on Food, Agriculture and Forestry in the field of Food and Handling, Fisheries, Livestock, Crops, Forestry, and the ASEAN Food Security Reserve arrangements. The Meeting also discussed other areas of agricultural cooperation including coopera- tion in agricultural cooperatives and monitoring and evaluation of fertilizer self-sufficiency in ASEAN countries.
6. The Ministers also signed two ASEAN Ministerial Understanding, namely, (i) on ASEAN Cooperation in Agricultural Cooperatives, and (ii) on Plant Pest Free Zones.
7. Under the Memorandum of Understanding on ASEAN Cooperation in Agricultural Cooperatives the Ministers agreed to implement a Programme of Action to promote the development of agricultural cooperatives in the ASEAN region through (i) exchanges of relevant information and experience among member countries; (ii) education and training of personnel and cooperators; (iii) research and development programmes; and (iv) other project activities related to agricultural cooperatives; and on the need to establish an ASEAN Centre for the Development of Agricultural Co- operatives (ACEDAC) to implement the foregoing. This proposed Centre is to be located in Jakarta.
8. The Ministerial Understanding on Plant Pest Free Zone declared that, with the exception of certain areas within ASEAN countries, all other ASEAN areas are free of those plant pests.
9. The Ministers noted with satisfaction the progress made in the implementation of the ASEAN Declaration on Specific Animal Disease Free Zones, signed by the Ministers in their Third Meeting in Jakarta in August 1981. In this connection, the Ministers also approved Malaysia’s application to declare the State of Sabah as free from Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD).
10. The Seventh Meeting of the ASEAN Ministers on Agriculture and Forestry would be held in Thailand in 1985.
11. The delegations from Negara Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand expressed their sincere appreciation to the Government and people of the Republic of the Philippines for the warm hospitality accorded them and for the excellent arrangements made for the Meeting.
12. The Meeting was held. in the traditional spirit of ASEAN solidarity and cordiality.
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