Welcoming
Remarks |
Your Excellency Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai,
Excellencies,
Distinguished Guests,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
First and foremost, I would like to express my deep appreciation to His Excellency Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai for his kind acceptance of our invitation to be with us here today to officially open the 32nd Meeting of the ASEAN Economic Ministers (AEM). I also would like to express, on behalf of Thailand and the Thai people, our sincere gratitude to be given the opportunity to once again host this meeting in this great city of
Chiangmai.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
ASEAN has definitely come a long way since we last gathered here 6 years ago for the 26th AEM Meeting in 1994. It was at that meeting that a landmark decision was made to accelerate the completion of our tariff-reduction scheme by five years and when we also decided to include unprocessed agricultural products into the CEPT scheme. I had the honour of chairing that important meeting in 1994.
Since then, it is clear that we have together made great stride in a number of fields so as to broaden and deepen the integration of our economies. For example, it was at the 5th ASEAN Summit which was held in Bangkok in 1995 that trade in services was incorporated into our liberalization framework. Then, at the 6th ASEAN Summit, held in Hanoi in 1998, our Leaders did not only agree to expedite our integration process by reducing the timeframe for our tariff reduction by one year, but also to create a regional investment area by the year 2010 as well as to turn ASEAN into an Economic Region by 2020. And it was at the 3rd ASEAN Informal Summit in the Philippines in 1999 that the target date for the full realization of AFTA was further advanced to 2010 for the original six members and to 2015 for our new members and the E- ASEAN Initiative was launched.
Yet, as we approach the new millennium, more needs to be done. The fast and ever-changing process of globalization has certainly created new opportunity and challenges for all of us. If ASEAN stands idly, then it stands the chance of being left behind in the new world architecture as well as becoming irrelevant within the new global economy. Although many of us still need to deal with the economic turmoil which erupted 3 years ago, I am certain that we can, together, rise above any kind of pressures and challenges put before us if we continue to support each other and remain resolute in our cooperative efforts and in our collective developmental endeavours.
One area which, I believe, needs our special attention is the rapid technological changes and the IT revolution which are taking shape in the world today. There is no doubt that Information Technology (IT), such as the internet and e-commerce, has begun to play and will increasingly play a larger and larger role in every part of our lives. This being the case, it is important that ASEAN must attempt to keep abreast of the development in information and communication technology as well as to prepare itself accordingly so as not to force into a Digital divide. In order to fully utilize the benefits of the IT revolution and for ASEAN to prosper as a group, the ASEAN member countries move together to help each other prepare for the pending New Global Economy. To this end, the “e- ASEAN Agreement” which is a new ASEAN initiative and is currently being developed and which is expected to be finalized in the near future, is definitely one effective measure in this area
Our Meeting this week will also focus on the linkage between ASEAN and its dialogue partners which is considered to be one of the priority milestones this year. Indeed, I am pleased that ASEAN will have the chance to further strengthen our trade and investment relations with the EU through our first consultations with the EU Commissioner for Trade. I am also pleased that consultations have been scheduled between the ASEAN economic ministers and the respective ministers of the People’s Republic of China, Japan, and the Republic Korea. Moreover, the meeting between economic ministers of ASEAN and the CER countries will allow us to expand our linkages in order to pave the way for the successful establishment of an AFTA-CER regional integration. No doubt, these consultations will become the crucial basis from which ASEAN will be able to forge closer ties with the world community as well as to ensure of a more open and freer global trading environment.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I am confident that this year’s ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting will produce results that satisfy all concerned. I am certain that the consultations between the AEM and its dialogue partners over the next 2 days will foster greater cooperation and strengthen relationships between the regions. I also believe that such consultations will help to invigorate ASEAN’s creditability in the eyes of the world community. More importantly, and especially considering the precarious situations within the global economy at this juncture, this meeting will provide us with the opportunity to ensure that ASEAN as an organization maintains its firm grip on global economic issues in order to be sufficiently prepared for future challenges and remains relevant within the larger international structure.
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On this note, may I now invite His Excellency Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai to present his opening address and to officially open the meeting.
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