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Meeting of the ASEAN Directors-General and Officials of the Australian Government
Surakarta, 24-25 May 1977 |
- Pursuant to the Meeting of the ASEAN Secretary-General and Australian Senior Officials on ASEAN - Australian Economic Cooperation on 10 - 22 April 1974, in Canberra, the Third ASEAN - Australia Dialogue between the ASEAN Directors-General and officials of the Australian Government was convened in Surakarta on 24 - 25 May 1977 to review and assess the progress made in the implementation of the projects under ASEAN - Australian Economic and Technical Cooperation.
- The Australian delegation was led by Mr. A.R. Parsons, First Assistant Secretary, Department of Foreign Affairs, while the ASEAN delegations were headed by Mr. Umarjadi Njotowijono, Director- General, ASEAN Indonesia, Datuk Haji Ali bin Abdullah Director-General ASEAN - Malaysia, Ambassador Modesto Farolan, Director-General, ASEAN - Philippines, Mr. Tan Boon Seng, Director-General, ASEAN - Singapore and Mr. Thep Devakula, Director-General, ASEAN - Thailand. Mr. H.R. Dharsono, Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat was also present. Datuk Haji Ali bin Abdullah, leader of the Malaysian delegation was the spokesman of the ASEAN delegation.
- Mr. Umarjadi Njotowijono, Director-General, ASEAN - Indonesia, welcomed the delegates to the meeting on behalf of the Indonesian Government.
- The Meeting was officially opened by H.E. Mr. Soepardjo Rustam, Governor of Central Java.
- In his opening address the Governor welcomed the delegations from Australia and ASEAN countries. He expressed confidence that the Joint Projects will contribute towards greater cooperation between Australia and ASEAN countries.
- The Meeting noted with satisfaction the progress made in the joint Projects which had been agreed upon earlier. These include :
- There was a general exchange of views on the broad issues of trade relations including the growth, trend and prospect for expansion in trade between ASEAN and Australia.
- The Meeting took into consideration the Memorandum on ASEAN - Australia Trade Cooperation and decided to establish a special Working Group of Trade experts which will meet in Australia as soon as practicable to further examine the proposals raised in the Memorandum.
- The Australian delegation was briefed on the five ASEAN industrial projects and the possible Australian cooperation in these projects was discussed.
- In the course of discussion on cooperation, the Meeting considered the possible expansion of the existing Joint Projects as well as the introduction of new projects, covering a wide, field of cooperation.
- The ASEAN delegation proposed the convening of an investment promotion seminar along the lines of the EBIC - EEC - ASEAN conference held recently in Brussels. The Australian delegation agreed to consider this proposal.
- The Meeting agreed to rename the existing dialogue as the "ASEAN - Australia Forum". It was also decided that the forum would meet at least once a year or as frequent as when the need arises.
- The ASEAN delegation expressed appreciation for the cooperation of the Australian Government and the understanding of the Australian delegation at the Meeting.
- The delegates from Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Australia expressed their sincere and warmest appreciation to the Government and people of Indonesia, the Governor and the Provincial authorities of Central Java for the facilities accorded then and the efficient arrangements made for the meeting.
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