외교부

ASEAN Secretariat, 5 May 2008

ASEAN Economic Ministers met for their Retreat in Bali on 2-3 May 2008.  They discussed the implementation of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint adopted by the ASEAN Leaders last November.  In particular, they deliberated on the AEC scorecard system and endorsed the AEC communications plan that will engage all the stakeholders of the economic community in building the community.

Secretary-General of ASEAN, Dr. Surin Pitsuwan, who participated in the meeting, welcomed the progress achieved in ensuring timely implementation of commitments under the Blueprint and in reaching out to the stakeholders.  He said, “Compliance and implementation are twin key functions that will be crucial for establishing the AEC by 2015”.  He also said, “Having more targeted outreach programmes through a multi-year communications plan would engage and ensure buy-in of the private sector, regulators, public, and other stakeholders to the commitments made under the Blueprint”.  He added, “The involvement of all stakeholders in the economic integration process is vital for ensuring substantive and sustainable economic community building”.  

In order to sustain the growth momentum of trade and FDI inflow into ASEAN, the Ministers discussed the progress in drafting the ASEAN Trade in Goods Agreement and the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement, as well as the liberalization of trade in services. These initiatives will support the development of the single market and production base under the AEC. 

Dr. Surin emphasized that “trade integration continues to be a key for ASEAN’s economic growth and can play the enabler and accelerator roles for economic integration”.  He said, “Trade integration is poised to deliver early wins for AEC as ASEAN concludes the two key agreements in goods and investment by this year and endeavour to maintain its momentum in services liberalisation towards 2015”.

Two ministerial statements also were issued by the Economic Ministers on the Doha Development Agenda (DDA) and Food Security respectively.  On the DDA, ASEAN undertakes to make its own contributions and will work closely with all its partners to conclude the Round by end of 2008. 

On food security, the Ministers expressed concern that the longer-term shortage of rice supply might have adverse impact on the ASEAN economies and reaffirmed the need for access to adequate and reliable supply of rice at stable prices.  They pledged to continue fair trade practices in rice.

Recognising rising food prices, Dr. Surin emphasised the need to “consider a concerted effort to further strengthen the scope of regional cooperation in food security”.  Nevertheless, he said, “The region has more than enough in rice to meet the growing regional as well as global demand”.  He added that “ASEAN will have to target both supply and demand side measures to ensure stable prices for rice”.

The Ministers exchanged views on the latest developments in ASEAN’s on-going FTA negotiations and resolved to exert all efforts towards completing the negotiations so that the business community can benefit from these arrangements.  They are looking forward to the conclusion of the negotiations in 2008.  Dr. Surin expressed his optimism and said that “ASEAN-India and ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand have taken another step forward towards concluding their respective free trade agreements by exerting greater flexibility and using creative solutions”.