Bangkok--Jul 16--MFA
On 15 July 2008, Mr.Vitavas Srivihok, Director-General of Department of ASEAN Affairs, held a press conference about the 41st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), Post Ministerial Conference (PMC), 15th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and other relevant meetings, to be held in Singapore on 17-24 July 2008. Gist as follows:
1. Importance of this year’s AMM/PMC meetings
Thailand will assume the ASEAN chairmanship after Singapore on 24 July 2008, the last day of the meetings. Thailand wishes to use this AMM meeting to lay the foundation for the issues that Thailand would like to achieve concrete outcomes during the 14th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok in December 2008. The issues include the establishment of an ASEAN human rights mechanism, the establishment of agreements on ASEAN legal issues, the establishment of ASEAN Development Goals as well as the issue of food security and the establishment of rice reserves under the framework of ASEAN+3. Other issues that Thailand attaches importance to include energy cooperation, disaster management and the prevention of epidemics, particularly pushing Thailand as a regional production base or bank for the bird-flu vaccine.
2. Highlight of the Meetings
20 July 2008 - ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Informal Working Dinner
21 July 2008 - ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Retreat and Plenary Session
- ASEAN Foreign Minister’s Meeting with High Level Panel
on Human Rights and High Level Panel on Legal Issues
- Meeting of the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon Free-Zone
(SEANWFZ) Commission
22 July 2008 - ASEAN+3 Ministerial Meeting
- East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Informal Consultations
23 July 2008 - Post Ministerial Conference with ASEAN Dialogue Partner
(PMC+1). Thailand will co-chair the ASEAN-Australia
meeting and attend the respective meetings between
ASEAN and South Korea, New Zealand, USA, and Canada
24 July 2008 - 15th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
- Ceremony of Thailand’s assumption of the ASEAN Chairmanship
3. Key Issues
3.1 Exchanges of view on important regional and international issues, including progress on humanitarian assistance to victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, energy security, regional financial cooperation, and food security, including Indonesian President’s suggestion on a special session of the ASEAN Summit on food security.
3.2 Adoption of the ASEAN Charter, including the Term of Reference (TOR) for the High Level Panel (HLP) to draft TOR for the ASEAN human rights mechanism, High Level Panel of Legal Issues (HLEG) on ASEAN Charter and the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPRs).
3.3 The ASEAN Ministerial Meeting will consider the ASEAN Political Security Community Blueprint and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint.
3.4 Thailand will brief the Meeting about the preparation for the 14th ASEAN Summit and relevant meetings in Bangkok.
3.5 The ASEAN+3 Ministerial Meeting will discuss the ASEAN+3 on Emergency Rice Reserve Agreement, cooperation on nuclear energy and financial cooperation under the Chiangmai Initiative. The EAS Ministerial Meeting will discuss the issues of food security, bio-energy, financial security and the future of EAS.
3.6 The ARF meeting will review the Paper on the Review of the ARF and determine the future direction of the ARF. Thailand aims that the ARF be the mechanism that effectively responds to challenges. During Thailand’s chairmanship, Thailand will have a leading role in drafting the ARF Vision Statement.
4. Important documents to be adopted or endorsed
4.1 Statement on the Implementation of ASEAN Charter
4.2 MoU on ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Plan Phase II
4.3 Instrument of Extension of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) for North Korea
4.4 Roadmap on Implementation of the Comprehensive Programme of Action to Promote Cooperation between ASEAN and Russia
4.5 Declaration on the 15th Anniversary of ARF
4.6 ARF Statement Promoting Collaboration on the Prevention of Diversion of Precursors into Illicit Drugs Manufacture
FYI, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already submitted the above-mentioned documents for Cabinet approval on 15 July 2008
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-
On 15 July 2008, Mr.Vitavas Srivihok, Director-General of Department of ASEAN Affairs, held a press conference about the 41st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), Post Ministerial Conference (PMC), 15th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and other relevant meetings, to be held in Singapore on 17-24 July 2008. Gist as follows:
1. Importance of this year’s AMM/PMC meetings
Thailand will assume the ASEAN chairmanship after Singapore on 24 July 2008, the last day of the meetings. Thailand wishes to use this AMM meeting to lay the foundation for the issues that Thailand would like to achieve concrete outcomes during the 14th ASEAN Summit in Bangkok in December 2008. The issues include the establishment of an ASEAN human rights mechanism, the establishment of agreements on ASEAN legal issues, the establishment of ASEAN Development Goals as well as the issue of food security and the establishment of rice reserves under the framework of ASEAN+3. Other issues that Thailand attaches importance to include energy cooperation, disaster management and the prevention of epidemics, particularly pushing Thailand as a regional production base or bank for the bird-flu vaccine.
2. Highlight of the Meetings
20 July 2008 - ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Informal Working Dinner
21 July 2008 - ASEAN Ministerial Meeting Retreat and Plenary Session
- ASEAN Foreign Minister’s Meeting with High Level Panel
on Human Rights and High Level Panel on Legal Issues
- Meeting of the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon Free-Zone
(SEANWFZ) Commission
22 July 2008 - ASEAN+3 Ministerial Meeting
- East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers Informal Consultations
23 July 2008 - Post Ministerial Conference with ASEAN Dialogue Partner
(PMC+1). Thailand will co-chair the ASEAN-Australia
meeting and attend the respective meetings between
ASEAN and South Korea, New Zealand, USA, and Canada
24 July 2008 - 15th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF)
- Ceremony of Thailand’s assumption of the ASEAN Chairmanship
3. Key Issues
3.1 Exchanges of view on important regional and international issues, including progress on humanitarian assistance to victims of Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar, energy security, regional financial cooperation, and food security, including Indonesian President’s suggestion on a special session of the ASEAN Summit on food security.
3.2 Adoption of the ASEAN Charter, including the Term of Reference (TOR) for the High Level Panel (HLP) to draft TOR for the ASEAN human rights mechanism, High Level Panel of Legal Issues (HLEG) on ASEAN Charter and the Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPRs).
3.3 The ASEAN Ministerial Meeting will consider the ASEAN Political Security Community Blueprint and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Blueprint.
3.4 Thailand will brief the Meeting about the preparation for the 14th ASEAN Summit and relevant meetings in Bangkok.
3.5 The ASEAN+3 Ministerial Meeting will discuss the ASEAN+3 on Emergency Rice Reserve Agreement, cooperation on nuclear energy and financial cooperation under the Chiangmai Initiative. The EAS Ministerial Meeting will discuss the issues of food security, bio-energy, financial security and the future of EAS.
3.6 The ARF meeting will review the Paper on the Review of the ARF and determine the future direction of the ARF. Thailand aims that the ARF be the mechanism that effectively responds to challenges. During Thailand’s chairmanship, Thailand will have a leading role in drafting the ARF Vision Statement.
4. Important documents to be adopted or endorsed
4.1 Statement on the Implementation of ASEAN Charter
4.2 MoU on ASEAN-Australia Development Cooperation Plan Phase II
4.3 Instrument of Extension of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) for North Korea
4.4 Roadmap on Implementation of the Comprehensive Programme of Action to Promote Cooperation between ASEAN and Russia
4.5 Declaration on the 15th Anniversary of ARF
4.6 ARF Statement Promoting Collaboration on the Prevention of Diversion of Precursors into Illicit Drugs Manufacture
FYI, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has already submitted the above-mentioned documents for Cabinet approval on 15 July 2008
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-