1.    The Seventh Meeting of the ASEAN Economic Ministers on Energy Cooperation was held in Bandar Seri Begawan on 7 - 8 April 1988.

2.    The Meeting was opened by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaullah, The Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam.

3.    His Majesty stated that ASEAN, having achieved peace and stability in this region, has made the right and logical commitment to step up efforts to create an effective long term economic development and cooperation among ASEAN member countries. Economic development in this region is important to ensure that the peoples of ASEAN will always enjoy an acceptable standard of living, whilst economic cooperation among ASEAN member countries will ensure equitable market access, as well as effective sharing of technology and resources. This commitment is evidenced by the successful conclusion of the recent ASEAN Summit held in Manila in December last year. The Summit not only reinforced the strong and solid political commitments of the ASEAN leaders in ensuring peace and stability in this region but also introduced concrete and effective framework for making economic development and cooperation, including Energy Cooperation, possible in this region.

4.    His Majesty pointed out, however, that even though ASEAN as a whole is endowed with a substantial amount of both renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy, recent events such as the sudden drop in oil prices, have given us some very valuable lessons, one of which is that energy sources have to be managed efficiently and effectively to optimise their uses. Some of the important aspects that need to be addressed in Energy Management include conservation, exploitation, waste reduction, training, technology improvement, as well as exchange of information.

5.    In so far as energy cooperation within ASEAN is concerned, His Majesty noted that progress has been made in areas such as Coal Technology, Power Utilities, as well as in New and Renewable Sources of Energy. The signing of the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement and ASEAN Energy Cooperation are indicative of the strong and sincere spirit of cooperation among ASEAN member countries, whilst the establishment of the ASEAN - EC Energy Management Training and Research Centre will help to produce skilled, workers as well as trained scientists and technologists in the field of energy for ASEAN. However, the prevailing unsettled energy situation in the world demands special attention and concerted and coordinated efforts among ASEAN member countries to overcome, or at least to minimise its effect on economic development.

6.    The Meeting was attended by H.E. Pengiran Dato Seri Laila Jasa Dr. Haji Ismail bin Pg. Haji Damit, Minister of Development of Brunei Darussalam; H.E. Dato Paduka Haii Selamat bin Haji Munap, Deputy Minister of Development of Brunei Darussalam; H.E. Ginanjar Kartasasmita, Minister of Mines and Energy of the Republic of Indonesia; H.E. Datuk Leo Moggie, Minister of Energy, Telecommunications and Posts of Malaysia; H. E. Wenceslao de la Paz, Undersecretary, Office of Energy Affairs of the Republic of the Philippines; H.E. Dr. Lee Boon Yang, Minister of State for National Development of the Republic of Singapore; H.E. Eugene Yap, Senior Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Industry of the Republic of Singapore; H.E. Banyat Bantadtan, Minister of Science, Technology and Energy of Thailand, and their respective delegations.

7.    H.E. Roderick Yong, the Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat was also present.

8.    The Meeting was preceded by a preparatory meeting of ASEAN Senior Officials on Energy Co-operation on 4 - 5 April 1988.

9.    Mr. Manuel Estrella, the current chairman of the ASEAN Council on Petroleum (ASCOPE), reported to the Meeting on the activities of ASCOPE.

10.  The Ministers noted the decision of the Third Meeting of the ASEAN Heads of Government held in Manila on 14 - 15 December 1987 on ASEAN Energy Cooperation and directed the Senior Officials on Energy Cooperation to formulate a programme of action to implement the Manila Declaration of 1987 relating to energy matters.

11.  The Ministers reviewed and expressed satisfaction on the progress of cooperation activities in the areas of Coal and Power Utilities / Authorities. In the field of New and Renewable Sources of Energy (NRSE) in ASEAN, the Ministers agreed that the ASEAN Experts Group on NRSE should undertake the task of pursuing cooperation on the commercial application of NRSE technologies, at the regional level, including the formulation of a Plan of Action for this purpose.

12.  The Ministers reviewed the follow-up actions being taken to implement the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement and agreed that the meeting of the Executing Agencies of member countries for the Agreement, signed by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Manila on 24 June 1986, be held in Malaysia in June 1988 to formulate standing procedures and action programmes necessary for the implementation of the Agreement.

13.  The Ministers also reviewed the progress of the energy projects being implemented in cooperation with Dialogue Partners and with regard to the ASEAN - EC Energy Management Research and Training Centre noted that the Centre is scheduled to be officially inaugurated in Jakarta in late June 1988.

14.  The Ministers agreed to hold the next Meeting of the ASEAN Economic Ministers on Energy Cooperation in Malaysia in early 1989.

15.  The delegations of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand expressed their sincere appreciation to the Government of His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam and people of Brunei Darussalam for the warm hospitality accorded them and the excellent arrangements made for the Meeting.

16.  The Meeting was held in the traditional ASEAN spirit of solidarity and cordiality.