The Ministerial Meeting on ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation, convened in Kuala Lumpur on 17 June 1996, agreed on the following:

1. Approved the Basic Framework of ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation.

   
   

2. Approved the Guidelines for Project Selection.

   
   

3. Set up an Experts Group, under the chairmanship of Thailand, to look into funding issues.

   
   

4. Set up a Special Working Group, under the chairmanship of Malaysia, to look into all relevant issues in the idea of having rail links between Singapore and Kunming. Malaysia has allocated RM2 million for the feasibility study of the rail links.

   
   

5. The ASEAN 7, the CLM countries and China will constitute the "core group" of the ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation.

   
   

6. The "core group" will convene stand-alone Ministerial Meetings, as least once a year back-to-back with the JMM prior to an annual ASEAN Summit or informal Summit.

   
   

7. A Steering Committee has been set up as part of the follow-up mechanism. The Committee, consisting of Senior Officials of the core-group countries and a representative of the ASEAN Secretariat, shall, among other things, propose a set of criteria for participation of countries and institutions outside the core group in the Ministerial and other meetings of the ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation.

   
   

8. Other countries, international and regional institutions currently involved in the Mekong Basin development or those wishing to participate in the ASEAN-Mekong Development Cooperation may be invited to the Ministerial and other meetings as and when appropriate.

   
   

9. ASEAN will consider establishing appropriate modalities for the purpose of raising funds for the ASEAN-Mekong Basin Development Cooperation.

   
   

10. For logistic and timing reason, the annual Ministerial Meeting shall be convened back-to-back with the Joint Ministerial Meeting (JMM) of ASEAN Foreign Ministers and Economic Ministers prior to an ASEAN Summit or informal Summit.