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The two-day senior officials meeting (SOM) of the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and China, Japan, South Korea and India was concluded in Bali, Indonesia on Saturday with the completion of all documents for endorsement by heads of state and government during the ASEAN+4 Summit in the following days.
"After internal discussion yesterday (Friday), we concluded talks with our dialogue partners this afternoon and I can say now that all documents have been agreed for endorsement," SOM Chairman Makarim Wibisono, director for Asia, Pacific and Africa Affairs of the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, told a news conference.
The drafts of agreement included the joint declaration on Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity with China, the Framework of Comprehensive Economic Partnership with Japan and the Framework of Comprehensive Economic Partnership with India, the Agreement on International Tripartite Rubber Company involving Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand, and the Declaration of the ASEAN Concord II.
Wibisono confirmed that all ASEAN members have agreed with the contents in the ASEAN Concord II, which will establish the concepts of an ASEAN Security Community, an ASEAN Economic Community and an ASEAN Social and Cultural Community by 2020.
In the previous day, Wibisono said that some ASEAN members still have objection to the ASEAN Security Community for fear that it can move into a military alliance or a political forum.
"But now all ASEAN members have approved the contents of the Bali Concord II," said Wibisono.
ASEAN groups Rune, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Wibisono said ASEAN and Japanese officials had in-depth discussions in many areas focusing on ways to promote the long-established relationship between the two.
"The ASEAN-Japan relationship has lasted for 30 years so we discussed ways to give weight to our relationship in the future. ASEAN and Japanese leaders will hold a summit in Tokyo on Dec. 11-12, the first summit among ASEAN leaders held outside their region," he said.
With China, ASEAN will sign a declaration on strategic partnership for peace and prosperity to support the establishment of an ASEAN-China free trade area by 2010 and to achieve the goal of US$100 billion in two-way annual trade by 2005.
On talks with South Korea, Wibisono said South Korea is drafting an agreement on comprehensive cooperation with ASEAN involving all stakeholders. The agreement is expected for endorsement in Korea next year, in coincidence with the 15th anniversary of ASEAN-South Korea partnership.
Wibisono said India has made rapid progress in deepening ties with ASEAN, which just started during last year's summit in Cambodia.
The ASEAN+4 series of meetings will continue with a two-day ministerial meeting on Oct. 5-6 and will be concluded by the summit on Oct. 7-8.
(Xinhua News Agency October 5, 2003)
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