|
 |
|
|
Joint Press Statement The 2nd ASEAN Transport Ministers Meeting
Chiang Mai, Thailand, 28 February 1997 |
- The Second ASEAN Transport Ministers (ATM) Meeting was held in Chiang Mai Thailand on 28 February 1997. The Meeting was preceded by the.Third Senior Transport Officials Meeting held on 25-27 February 1997.
- The Meeting was chaired by H.E. Mr. Suwat Liptapanlop, Minister of Transport and Communications for Thailand, and H.E, Mr. Amedo S. Lagdameo Jr, Secretary, Department of Transport and Communications for the Philippines, as Vice-Chairman. The Meeting was attended by H,E. Pehin Dato Haji Zarkaria Sulaiman, Minister of Communications for Brunei Darussalam, H.E. Dr. Haryanto Dhanutirto, Minister of Communications for Indonesia, H.E. Dato' Seri Dr. Ling, Liong Sik, Minister of Transport for Malaysia, H.E. Mr. Mah Bow Ton, Minister of Communications for Singapore, and H.E. Prof. Dr. Sc. La Ngoc Khue, Deputy Minister of Transport for Vietnam; and their respective delegations. Dr. Chee Peng Lim, Director of Bureau of Economic Cooperation as representative of. H.E. Dato Ajit Singh, Secretary-General of ASEAN and members of the ASEAN Secretariat were also in attendance.
- The ASEAN Transport Ministers held consultation with H.E, Mr, Ing Keith, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Work and Transport for Cambodia, H.E. Mr. Phao Bounaphol, Minister of Communication, Transport, Post and Construction for Lao PDR, and H.E. Lt Gen. Thein Win, Minister of Transport for Myanmar. Members of their staff were also in attendance.
- In line with ,the 30th Anniversary of ASEAN, the Ministers welcomed the decision of STOM to request the Member Countries to encourage special or promotional fares for air and rail travel to commemorate the event.
- The ASEAN Transport Minister recalled the decision of the 28 th AE.M the First Informal Summit, of the Heads of Government of ASEAN in the development of Facilitaion of Goods in Transit as a new initiative. In this regard, the Ministers directed STOM to work closely with SEOM in the formulation of the appropriate Framework Agreement as agreed in the 28th AEM.
- The Ministers noted the progress of the implementation of the ASEAN Plan of Action in. Transport and Communications The Ministers further noted some projects have been successfully completed while others are in advanced stage of implementation. Thev also adopted the integrated implementation Programme drafted by the, ASEAN Secretariat as endorsed by STOM. The Ministers emphasized their attention on the progress of the implementation of the Plan of Action on Human Resources Development.
- The Ministers agreed with the decision of STOM for the participation of Cambodia, Lao POR and Myanmar (CLM)in the activities of STOM and its Working, Groups. They agreed, that the participation of the senior transport officials of the CLM countries in the activities of STOM would enable them to be familiar with this, ASEAN transport cooperation programmes. This would facilitate their integration into the ASEAN transport sector upon their formal membership to ASEAN.
- The Ministers noted the progress of the Services Negotiations under the Framework Agreernent on Services and agreed to review the initial package, of transport-related commitments if need be, in the Third ATM scheduled in the Philippines in September 1997.
- The Ministers noted the progress of the Singapore-Kunming (China) Rail Link, Project being coordinated by Malaysia.
- The Ministers reiterated the importance of the development of Competitive Air Services Policy which may be a gradual step towards an Open-Sky Policy in ASEAN. They directed STOM to focus their air services liberalization work programmes for the sub-regional groupings like BIMP-EAGA, IMT-GT and IMS-GT and toward promoting tourism development, among others, in these ASEAN growth areas. They noted that the STOM Working Group in this regard will closely study and recommend the appropriate levels and timeframe for air service liberalization within and between these ASEAN sub-regions.
- The Ministers reiterated the need for having an institutional mechanism within ASEAN to deal with telecommunications matters, They endorsed the recommendation of STOM to request the ASEAN Telecommunication Regulators Council (ATRC) to assume this responsibility, and also requested the Chairman, of the Third. STOM to convey this decision to ATRC and the concerned ASEAN telecomunications, administrations.
- The Ministers noted that the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM) are currently preparing the ASEAN Vision toward 2020. In this regard, they viewed that the transport and communications sector, being a critical logistics and services support sector, should now be accorded a central role in ASEAN economic cooperation programmes. They agreed that implementation of the cooperation in the Facilitation of Goods in Transit is an initial step towards this direction. They also Viewed thing priority attention should be given to the development of an integrated and harmonized Trans-ASEAN transportation network and the harnessing of the technological advances in telecommunications and information technology in linking the planned information highways / multimedia corridors in ASEAN.
- During the ATM-CLM Ministers Consultations, the Ministers agreed to promote cooperative programmes with the CLM countries in the areas of transport linkages.
- The Ministers agreed to meet in September 1997 in Cebu City, the Philippines.
The Meeting was held in the traditional spirit of ASEAN solidarity and cordiality.
|
| |
|
|
|
