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Joint Communique of the Seventh ASEAN-Japan Forum
Joint Communique of the Seventh ASEAN-Japan Forum, Bali, 4-6 October 1984 |
1. The Seventh Meeting of the ASEAN-Japan Forum was held in Bali, Indonesia, from 4-6 October 1984. The Meeting was attended by the Director of Protocol and Consular Affairs of Brunei Darussalam, the Director-General, ASEAN-Indonesia, Director-General, ASEAN-Malaysia, Director-General, ASEAN-Philippines, Director-General, ASEAN-Singapore the Deputy Director-General, ASEAN-Thailand and the Deputy Director-General f the Asian Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and their respective delegations. The Chairmen of COTT, and COSD, representatives of the Chairmen of COFAF, COTAC, COIME, COCI and COST, as well as officials of the ASEAN Secretariat were also in attendance.
2. The Meeting was officially opened by H.E. Mr. Ismail Saleh the Minister for Foreign Affairs a.i. of the Republic Of Indonesia in a ceremony attended by the Governor of the Province of Bali, the delegates of Japan and ASEAN countries and dignitaries of the local government.
3. The Leader of the Indonesian Delegation, Mr. Adiwoso Abubakar, acted as Spokesman for the ASEAN Delegations. The Japanese Delegation vas led by Mr. S. Yanai, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan.
4. Brunei Darussalam which joined ASEAN in January 1984, participated in the ASEAN-Japan Forum for the first time. The Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia extended a warm welcome to Brunei Darussalam on this occasion. The Head of the Japanese Delegation joined the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia in welcoming Brunei Darussalam.
5. The Meeting discussed a wide-range of subjects on ASEAN-Japan cooperation in the fields of Trade and Commodities, investment, Industry, Finance, as well as Economic, Social, Technical and Cultural Cooperation
6. In assessing the ASEAN-Japan Forum and the results achieved so far, both sides agreed that the Forum has an important role in expanding economic, cultural and social relations between Japan and ASEAN countries and in promoting better understanding between their peoples.
7. The Meeting reaffirmed the great importance they attached to their trade relations and agreed on the need to continue efforts to increase two-way trade.
8. The Japanese side stated that ASEAN countries are one of the biggest trading and investment partners. Japan regarded ASEAN as a high priority region in the fields of economic and technical cooperation.
9. The Japanese side explained that since 1981 it had taken a series of such market opening and import promotion measures as those for improvements of its GSP (generalized system of preferences ) with its extension for another 10 years in 1981, reduction in tariff rates and import restriction, improvement of the standards and certification systems, establishment of the Office of Trade Ombudsman and others.
10. The ASEAN side, however, felt that those market opening measures did not meet the specific interests of ASEAN countries. in the latest round of tariff reductions of the affected items, ASEAN share of the total Japanese imports vas minimal while the developed countries enjoyed the preponderant share. The ASEAN side stressed that trade was of vital importance to ASEAN and cooperation between ASEAN and Japan on trade matters should be improved.
11. The Meeting noted that close ASEAN-Japan cooperation on commodity issues had contributed significantly to the various international efforts to solve commodity problems and agreed that ASEAN and Japan should strengthen such cooperation.
12. The Meeting also agreed that every opportunity should be taken by ASEAN member countries as ell as Japan to impress upon the developed countries concerned of the need for collaboration in mutually agreeable measures for the common good of both producers and consumers.
13. The Meeting agreed that the economic and technical cooperation was progressing smoothly and therefore agreed to further explore possibilities of promoting such cooperation in agricultural development, energy development, plant renovation and other fields. In this connection, the ASEAN side submitted new project proposals in the agricultural, science and technology and social development areas. The Japanese side indicated initial positive response on some of the proposals, which would be firmed up after they had studied the project proposal further in Tokyo.
14. The Meeting noted with satisfaction the smooth progress made in the ASEAN Human Resources Development Project.
15. The Meeting expressed the hope that the First ASEAN - Japan Ministerial Meeting on Science and Technology held in Tokyo in December 1983 will form a solid basis for more concrete cooperation in Science and Technology. Satisfactory preparation should be made so that the next Ministerial Meeting could bring tangible results.
16. The Meeting noted with satisfaction the progress made on various cultural information programmes implemented under the ASEAN Cultural Fund as well as the utilization of Japan’s scholarship for ASEAN Youth.
17. The Meeting also expressed satisfaction at the progress made in the implementation of the Friendship Programme for the 21st Century. The Meeting agreed to the desirability of a joint evaluation meeting which may be convened Japan and expected that the next year programme would be further improved. in this connection, the Meeting took note of the various suggestions for further improvements of the programme such as inclusion in the visit the possibility for the participants being further exposed to professional skill.
18. The Eighth Meeting of the ASEAN-Japan Forum will be held in Japan at a date in 1985 to be mutually agreed upon.
19. The Japanese Delegation and the Delegations of Brunei Darussalam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand expressed their appreciation to the Government of the Republic of Indonesia for hosting the Seventh Meeting of the ASEAN-Japan Forum and for the hospitality accorded to them.
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