12th ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers' Meeting
July 26, 2011
The 12th ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers' Meeting was held on July 21, 2011, in Bali, the Republic of Indonesia. Japan was represented by Minister for Foreign Affairs Takeaki Matsumoto. The following is an overview of the Meeting (chaired by Dr. R. M. Marty M. Natalegawa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia).
1. Review of ASEAN+3 Cooperation and Its Future Direction
(1) At the outset of the Meeting, Minister Matsumoto expressed gratitude for the abundance of support provided by both governments and peoples of the ASEAN countries, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Korea (ROK), which included relief money, supplies and rescue teams, following the Great East Japan Earthquake. He went on to voice Japan's determination to recover from the disaster and achieve rebirth.
(2) Minister Matsumoto noted that ASEAN+3 cooperation had grown into a framework for practical regional cooperation, emphasizing the importance of ASEAN-centered regional cooperation and of support for ASEAN's integration and development for the purpose of further nurturing the stability and economic growth of East Asia. He also referred to the importance of strengthening cooperation in the area of prevention of transnational crime from the perspective of efforts to eliminate terrorism and other negative factors that hinder the enhancement of "connectivity" among the ASEAN countries. Minister Matsumoto said that ASEAN+3 cooperation was functioning effectively, adding that its expansion in both political and economic spheres leads to the strengthening of ASEAN's centrality and to the development of the member countries.
(3) Minister Matsumoto elaborated on ASEAN+3 cooperation. Its overview is as follows.
(a) The current state of recovery from the disaster and anti-disaster cooperation
- Four months after the disaster, Japan is hard at work on recovery in disaster-stricken areas and simultaneously on revitalization of the national economy. Japan more than ever welcomes foreigners visiting the country on business, sightseeing and study.
- Japan announced on July 19 regarding the accident at Tokyo Electric Power Company(TEPCO) Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station that it had successfully achieved the "Step 1" objective of "ensuring a steady decline in the amount of radioactive materials discharged" under the roadmap designed to bring the accident under control. Japan will continue with its all-out efforts to accomplish "cold shutdowns" of nuclear reactors and fully resolve the issue. Moreover, Japan and the International Atomic Energy Agency will host an international meeting on nuclear safety in the latter half of 2012, sharing the lessons learned from the accident with the international community and contributing to the global improvement of nuclear safety.
- It is Japan's wish to share the experiences and lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake with the international community so as to make East Asia and the world as a whole better equipped to combat disasters. Toward the goal of sharing experiences and lessons with the international community and building a global society better equipped for disaster response, Japan will promote anti-disaster cooperation, as outlined below, based on the idea of human security.
- * Japan asks the ASEAN+3 countries to participate in a high-level international meeting on large-scale natural disasters which Japan is planning to host in 2012.
- * Japan later in 2011 will host a meeting of a working group on disaster prevention in the framework of the Network of East Asian Think Tanks (NEAT).
(b) The building of an emergency rice reserve system for food security
Japan will cooperate in building the ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) at an early date as part of its efforts for contribution to the strengthening of food security in East Asia.
(c) Financial contribution for the stability and growth of the regional economy
Japan welcomes the Chiang Mai Initiative and other efforts for financial cooperation designed to prevent another financial crisis, one of the core areas of ASEAN+3 cooperation, as well as the establishment of the ASEAN+3 Macroecnomic Research Office (AMRO). Efforts to develop the bond market are also important from the viewpoint of promoting regional economic growth.
(d) Trade
Regarding a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in East Asia with ASEAN at its hub, it is important to simultaneously promote discussions on the proposed schemes of the East Asia Free Trade Area (EAFTA) and the Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East Asia (CEPEA).
(4) The Terms of Reference (TOR) was adopted for the establishment of the East Asia Vision Group (EAVG) II where experts will review ASEAN+3 cooperation and discuss its future direction.
2. Regional and International Situations
(1) Myanmar
Minister Matsumoto said the series of moves that had occurred in Myanmar, including the general election, the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the shift to civilian rule last March and the release of political prisoners last May, was a step forward in the direction of national reconciliation and the rule of law. He added that he had dispatched Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Makiko Kikuta to Myanmar in June 2011 to convey such evaluation to the country's government. Minister Matsumoto also said Japan had proposed cooperation with Myanmar in the four areas of human exchange, economic cooperation, economic relationship and cultural exchange at that time. He expressed hope that the Government of Myanmar would push forward with national reconciliation, democratization and the rule of law, and continue dialogue with foreign countries.
(2) North Korea
Minister Matsumoto expressed Japan's strong concern over North Korea's nuclear and missile development. He also emphasized that North Korea's uranium enrichment violated relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions as well as the 2005 Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks, pointing out the need to strongly press North Korea for its nuclear abandonment based on the Security Council resolutions. Furthermore, he noted that North Korea's nuclear proliferation activities posed a real threat, saying that it was important to steadily put into practice measures based on the relevant Security Council resolutions, including the tightening of export control. Minister Matsumoto also said North Korea's human rights situation, including the abduction issue, remained serious, and asked the ASEAN+3 countries for understanding and cooperation to press for concrete actions on the part of North Korea. He then told the ASEAN+3 countries that Japan, China and the ROK shared the view at their summit meeting in May 2011 on cooperation in resolving various issues in accordance with the Joint Statement of the Six-Party Talks. He added that it was important for the South-North dialogue to make progress first and expressed hope that Japan would cooperate with the ASEAN+3 members to induce specific actions from North Korea.
(3) Climate change
Minister Matsumoto said that it was indispensable to build a fair and effective international framework in which all major countries participate to resolve the issue of global warming, that it was necessary to steadily put the Cancun Accord into force toward COP17 and that such moves would eventually lead to the formation of a comprehensive framework in future.
3. Overview of Remarks by ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers
(1) While the foreign ministers of other ASEAN+3 countries were unanimous in speaking words of condolence for the disaster caused by the earthquake, the ASEAN foreign ministers in particular expressed their gratitude for Japan continuing with its strong commitment to helping build an ASEAN Community, starting with the support of its connectivity, at a time when the country faces hardship following the disaster.
(2) The ASEAN+3 foreign ministers also emphasized the importance of anti-disaster cooperation, early establishment of the APTERR scheme, and cooperation in the financial and trade areas.
(3) Moreover, the foreign ministers emphasized the importance of strengthening connectivity in the ASEAN region, of assistance by the Plus Three countries (Japan, China and the ROK), and of enhancing connectivity between ASEAN and the Plus Three. They also welcomed the newly inaugurated scheme of cooperation in the education area.
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