Boao Forum for Asia
Summit Meeting between Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand H.E. Pol. Lt. Col. Thaksin Shinawatra
(Overview)

April 15, 2002

On 12 April at the Boao Forum for Asia, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi held a Summit Meeting with Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand H.E. Pol. Lt. Col. Thaksin Shinawatra from 15:25 (Japan Time) for about 40 minutes. The following is an overview of the meeting. (Attendees: Thai side: Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Somkid Jatusripitak, Deputy Prime Minister Korn Dabbaransi, Minister of Foreign Affairs Surakiart Sathirathai, among others. Japanese side: Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy Heizo Takenaka, Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kosei Ueno, among others)

1. Economic Partnership between Japan and Thailand

Prime Minister Koizumi announced that as a means of accelerating the realization of the Initiative for Japan-ASEAN Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which he had announced in a speech delivered in Singapore in January 2002, he was seeking to advance economic partnership between Japan and Thailand. He stated that specifically he would like to launch a Working Group, which would use the Japan-Singapore Economic Partnership Agreement as a reference to review a partnership between Japan and Thailand in a broad range of areas. In response, Prime Minister Thaksin stated that Thailand fully supported Prime Minister Koizumi's initiative and noted that he would like it to be decided upon, including the holding of discussions on which areas the Working Group could focus.

2. Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD)

Prime Minister Thaksin announced that as he had also mentioned in his speech to the Boao Forum, in order to vitalize the economy of the Asian region, he would like to promote intra-regional dialogue, and proposed the concept of an Asia Cooperation Dialogue (ACD). He stated that in June or July he would seek to convene an informal foreign ministerial meeting for such dialogue and requested the support of the Government of Japan. In response, Prime Minister Koizumi stated that he both supported and highly evaluated the Thai initiative and that he would like the Foreign Ministers and Foreign Ministry officials to consult on this matter.

3. Situation in Myanmar

Prime Minister Thaksin explained that Thailand was in the process of cementing stronger relations with Myanmar and that a project for road improvement within Thailand, Myanmar and India as well as cooperation measures against narcotics were being advanced. In response, Prime Minister Koizumi stated that Japan and Myanmar enjoyed basically good relations and that Japan was most interested in the process of democratization in Myanmar. He stated that it was of the utmost importance for the Government of Myanmar and Aung San Suu Kyi to proceed with dialogue. In addition, Prime Minister Koizumi stated that the stability of Myanmar had a significant effect on the stability of the region as a whole and, noting that Japan had an interest in nation-building and democratization in Myanmar, stated that he would like to cooperate in such issues.