Bangkok--Feb 5--MFA
Remarks by His Excellency Mr. Nitya Pibulsonggram, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand at the Inaugural Meeting of the Japan - Thailand Joint Committee on Economic Partnership, 1 November 2007, Iikura House, Tokyo
His Excellency Mr. Masahiko Koumura, Minister for Foreign Affairs,
His Excellency Mr. Otohiko Endo, Senior Vice-Minister of Finance,
His Excellency Mr. Masahiro Imamura, Senior Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,
Her Excellency Ms. Kanae Yamamoto, Parliamentarian Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry,
His Excellency Mr. Chalongphob Sussangkarn, Minister of Finance of the Kingdom of Thailand,
Members of the Joint Committee,
Distinguished Delegates,
It is my great honour and pleasure to represent the Royal Thai Government on this historic occasion.
Congratulations to us all.
And congratulations to those who have been involved with the JTEPA in the past four years for their dedication and hard work that have made this meeting today possible.
Thailand and Japan have always been and will continue to be close partners, in economic and other areas.
Our bilateral trade was up 8.68% in the first 9 months of 2007.
The volume of Japanese investment in Thailand was up 18.7% in the first half of 2007.
Within 10 years after the JTEPA comes into effect, approximately 92% of tariffs on imports from Thailand to Japan and 97% of tariffs on imports from Japan to Thailand will be eliminated.
This is, indeed, a very promising prospect.
Mr. Co-Chairman,
The Joint Committee will today adopt the Operational Procedures and exchange the Lists for the Purpose of Transparency concerning Trade in Goods and Services. We will also agree on the guidelines and framework that will further enhance the economic interaction between our two countries.
Cargoes of products from Thailand are lining up for the Japanese market as we speak and vice versa.
Experienced Thai cooks can now prepare our famous cuisine right on your doorsteps. High-quality Thai clothes will be available in your department stores at a very competitive price.
And, pending further negotiations, we look forward to facilitating more movement of Thai experts, in particular, Thai health-caretakers and the practitioners of the famous art of Thai therapy to Japan.
Thailand is also ready to work with Japan to create more opportunities for investment as well as to improve the business environment.
Having said that, I would like to urge both sides to continue working closely together after the entry into force of the JTEPA to meet the timelines stipulated in the various articles of the Agreement.
I feel that the first three years after the agreement comes into force will be the most crucial.
This period holds the key to a host of important issues pending further negotiations and discussions.
I am therefore glad that both sides also agreed to establish the Sub-Committee on Rules of Origin and convene its first meeting before the end of March 2008.
Another important matter is the setting up of the Sub-Committee on Trade in Services which will see its inception, with a view to starting negotiations on Emergency Safeguard Measures, before the end of April 2008. I also welcome the progress made in the setting up of the Sub-Committee in Movement of Natural Persons and the Sub-Committee on Paperless Trading.
These decisions represent a clear sign of our firm commitment to making the most out of our economic partnership.
I believe that by drawing up plans for next year, we have set our agenda in accordance with the very spirit of the JTEPA. Our respective officials shall spare no effort to make sure that the JTEPA is implemented fully.
Mr. Co-Chairman,
There is every reason to be optimistic about the JTEPA.
The Agreement will not only help deepen our cooperation but also bring together all the synergies we have for the benefit of our two nations.
I believe that the confidence among leaders of the business community has never been higher.
Let us encourage and cultivate such confidence so that it will translate into greater business interactions between our economies, incomes for our peoples.
On behalf of the Thai delegation, let me once again express our thanks to the Japanese side for the warm hospitality.
We look forward to welcoming our Japanese counterparts in Thailand when we host the Second Meeting of this Joint Committee next year.
Thank you.
Prime Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Press Division, Department of Information Tel.(02) 643-5170
Fax. (02) 643-5169 E-mail : div0704@mfa.go.th End.
-PM-
Remarks by His Excellency Mr. Nitya Pibulsonggram, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand at the Inaugural Meeting of the Japan - Thailand Joint Committee on Economic Partnership, 1 November 2007, Iikura House, Tokyo
His Excellency Mr. Masahiko Koumura, Minister for Foreign Affairs,
His Excellency Mr. Otohiko Endo, Senior Vice-Minister of Finance,
His Excellency Mr. Masahiro Imamura, Senior Vice-Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries,
Her Excellency Ms. Kanae Yamamoto, Parliamentarian Secretary of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry,
His Excellency Mr. Chalongphob Sussangkarn, Minister of Finance of the Kingdom of Thailand,
Members of the Joint Committee,
Distinguished Delegates,
It is my great honour and pleasure to represent the Royal Thai Government on this historic occasion.
Congratulations to us all.
And congratulations to those who have been involved with the JTEPA in the past four years for their dedication and hard work that have made this meeting today possible.
Thailand and Japan have always been and will continue to be close partners, in economic and other areas.
Our bilateral trade was up 8.68% in the first 9 months of 2007.
The volume of Japanese investment in Thailand was up 18.7% in the first half of 2007.
Within 10 years after the JTEPA comes into effect, approximately 92% of tariffs on imports from Thailand to Japan and 97% of tariffs on imports from Japan to Thailand will be eliminated.
This is, indeed, a very promising prospect.
Mr. Co-Chairman,
The Joint Committee will today adopt the Operational Procedures and exchange the Lists for the Purpose of Transparency concerning Trade in Goods and Services. We will also agree on the guidelines and framework that will further enhance the economic interaction between our two countries.
Cargoes of products from Thailand are lining up for the Japanese market as we speak and vice versa.
Experienced Thai cooks can now prepare our famous cuisine right on your doorsteps. High-quality Thai clothes will be available in your department stores at a very competitive price.
And, pending further negotiations, we look forward to facilitating more movement of Thai experts, in particular, Thai health-caretakers and the practitioners of the famous art of Thai therapy to Japan.
Thailand is also ready to work with Japan to create more opportunities for investment as well as to improve the business environment.
Having said that, I would like to urge both sides to continue working closely together after the entry into force of the JTEPA to meet the timelines stipulated in the various articles of the Agreement.
I feel that the first three years after the agreement comes into force will be the most crucial.
This period holds the key to a host of important issues pending further negotiations and discussions.
I am therefore glad that both sides also agreed to establish the Sub-Committee on Rules of Origin and convene its first meeting before the end of March 2008.
Another important matter is the setting up of the Sub-Committee on Trade in Services which will see its inception, with a view to starting negotiations on Emergency Safeguard Measures, before the end of April 2008. I also welcome the progress made in the setting up of the Sub-Committee in Movement of Natural Persons and the Sub-Committee on Paperless Trading.
These decisions represent a clear sign of our firm commitment to making the most out of our economic partnership.
I believe that by drawing up plans for next year, we have set our agenda in accordance with the very spirit of the JTEPA. Our respective officials shall spare no effort to make sure that the JTEPA is implemented fully.
Mr. Co-Chairman,
There is every reason to be optimistic about the JTEPA.
The Agreement will not only help deepen our cooperation but also bring together all the synergies we have for the benefit of our two nations.
I believe that the confidence among leaders of the business community has never been higher.
Let us encourage and cultivate such confidence so that it will translate into greater business interactions between our economies, incomes for our peoples.
On behalf of the Thai delegation, let me once again express our thanks to the Japanese side for the warm hospitality.
We look forward to welcoming our Japanese counterparts in Thailand when we host the Second Meeting of this Joint Committee next year.
Thank you.
Prime Minister at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Press Division, Department of Information Tel.(02) 643-5170
Fax. (02) 643-5169 E-mail : div0704@mfa.go.th End.
-PM-