In line with the decision of the Fourth ASEAN Summit that ASEAN should intensify cooperative relationships with 'Interested non-dialogue countries and international organizations, ASEAN has expanded relations with other regional organizations and developed a number of new relationships.
The ASEAN-China relationship was formalized through the exchange of letters between the Secretary-General of ASEAN and the Foreign Minister of the People's Republic of China in July 1994. In March 1995, the Joint Science and Technology Committee held its inaugural meeting and endorsed the procedural guidelines and terms of reference of cooperation in science and technology. Another significant milestone in ASEAN-China relations was the first consultations between the senior officials of ASEAN and China to discuss political and security matters.
ASEAN-India relations moved into the operational phase with the identification of specific projects in trade and investment, science and technology and tourism. As regards Pakistan, steps were taken to explore ways of developing the relationship further during the visit of the ASEAN Secretary-General to Pakistan.
Efforts are also being made to find an appropriate modality for institutionalizing ASEAN-Russia relations. The ASEAN Committee n Science and Technology has agreed to consider the possibility of establishing an ASEAN-Russia Commission on Science and Technological Cooperation.
ASEAN's relations with other regional organizations ere further developed when the heads of sub-regional organizations such as ECO, SAARC, SPC, the South Pacific Secretariat and ESCAP met in Jakarta in January 1995. Ties with ECO were further strengthened with the visit of the ASEAN Secretary-General to Tehran in April 1995. ASEAN and the South Pacific Forum sustained its regular contacts over the year.
Vietnam applied for membership in ASEAN in October 1994 and over the year intensive efforts were made to assist Vietnam in its preparations to become the seventh member of ASEAN. Officials from the ASEAN Secretariat went to Hanoi to brief Vietnamese officials and Vietnam sent two groups to the ASEAN Secretariat for attachment. Three groups of senior Vietnamese officials visited ASEAN capitals and the ASEAN Secretariat from late June to mid-July to gather information on visa-fee facilities, the CEPT Scheme for AFTA and functional cooperation in ASEAN. On the economic side, the ASEAN Economic Ministers held consultations with their Vietnamese counterparts to ensure the smooth integration of Vietnam into ASEAN's economic arrangements. Bilaterally, ASEAN countries have been providing Vietnam with training in English language and human resource management.
Cambodia applied for Observer Status in October 1994 and acceded to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in January 1995. Cambodia has also indicated a desire to participate in the ARF. Laos has continued to show interest in strengthening its links with ASEAN by participating in some ASEAN functional cooperation meetings and setting up an ASEAN division in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
For the period under review APEC held six ministerial level meetings on finance, trade, small and medium scale enterprises, transport and communications and the annual APEC Ministerial Meeting as well as a number of meetings at the officials level. The APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Bogor on 15 November 1994, adopted the Bogor Declaration which charts the future course of APEC activities and is expected to enhance the prospects of an accelerated, balanced and equitable economic growth in the Asia-Pacific region and globally.
During the 27th AMM in Bangkok in July 1994, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers met the Foreign Ministers of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea at the 6 + 3 lunch and discussed aspects of the East Asia Economic Caucus.