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Statement by EAM at India ASEAN
Ministerial meeting
22/07/2009
(Review of ASEAN –
India Cooperation and its Future Direction and Exchange of Views on
Regional and International Issues)
Mr.
Co-chairman,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I thank you for your statements. I am indeed very happy to have the
opportunity to share our perspective of ASEAN-India relationship.
2. The progress ASEAN-India relationship has registered since the last
Summit in Singapore in 2007 is encouraging. The productive and
comprehensive discussions among our colleagues and Senior Officials from
member countries leave no doubt that our "Partnership in Action", which
we forged in 2002 in Phnom Penh at the annual India-ASEAN Summit, is
heading in the right direction. The ASEAN-India Summits have provided us
with the opportunity to meet and learn more about each other and to give
new directions to our cooperation. In order to accelerate the growth in
our bilateral relations in all spheres of activity, India has appointed
an Ambassador to ASEAN.
3. Our economic complementarities and global developments have added to
the close political, economic and security inter-¬linkages between India
and ASEAN. India-ASEAN trade amounted to a little over 38 billion US
Dollars in 2007-08. I am sure that the target of 50 billion US Dollars
in 2010, as proposed by our Prime Minister at the 2007 Summit in
Singapore, is not beyond reach despite the current economic slowdown. We
have finalized the text of Agreement on trade-in-Goods and have also
commenced negotiations on Services and Investment Agreements in October,
2008.
4. As was mentioned at the last Summit in 2007, India remains committed
to the Initiative for ASEAN Integration. I am happy to note the visit of
100 ASEAN students and institutionalization of annual Diplomatic Course
for the ASEAN diplomats. India also extends training facilities to
nationals of ASEAN member countries in a variety of other disciplines.
5. It is also a matter of great satisfaction that an understanding has
been reached for Exchange Programme for parliamentarians of ASEAN
countries and India at mutually convenient dates. This will be an
important interaction among our Parliamentarians and will afford an
opportunity to them to learn from each other.
6. In the area of S&T, I am happy to note that we have fulfilled our
commitment of establishment of S&T Fund with initial contribution of US$
1 million. We are working together to get this Fund operationalized at
an early date.
7. In our efforts to significantly improve air connectivity in our
region, we should see how close we can get to an "open skies"
arrangement, while protecting legitimate concerns. This will have a long
term and sustained impact on the economic cooperation in the region.
8. Agriculture is another sector on which we could focus. Hundreds of
millions of our peoples are engaged in this sector. It has great
economic, political and social significance for all our countries. We
have our respective strengths in agro-technology including
biotechnology, new and improved farming techniques, human resource
development, agro-processing and marketing. I welcome the decision for
future cooperation in the area which could develop into a concrete
programme of action before the next Summit. Our scientists are ready to
cooperate with their ASEAN colleagues in this vital endeavour.
9. We are working together to operationalise the Green Fund which aims
to execute pilot projects to promote adaptation and mitigation
technologies for sustainable development. We hope that a mutually agreed
Final Project Implementation Plan can be drawn soon.
10. ASEAN and India are important source markets for each other from the
tourism angle. The cooperation in the field of tourism between India and
ASEAN through development of Joint Tourism Packages as recommended by
the 11th meeting of Joint Cooperative Committee in April 2009 in New
Delhi would help to facilitate seamless travel in the region and would
also expand linkages to other sectors. We have together taken several
initiatives in the area of tourism which need to be further strengthened
to increase flow as well as to reap the benefits from tourism for the
economic growth of the region. In this context, the contribution that
will be made by the Open Skies Regime needs little emphasis.
11. In the areas of health and traditional medicine, we hope early
finalization of concept note on cooperation in Health and
Pharmaceuticals and MoU between Indian Department of AYUSH and ASEAN
which have been submitted to ASEAN Secretariat and due to come up in the
next Senior Officials Meeting in December 2009.
12. I am also happy to convey India's approval for the Digital Science
and Technology Library Project at a cost of US $729,753/- in fulfillment
of our Prime Minister's offer made at the 2nd ASEAN-India Summit.
13. I would once again urge the ASEAN countries to fully utilize the 50
scholarships in traditional medicine offered by our Department of AYUSH.
14. In working towards the goal of integrating India and ASEAN into one
seamless market for goods, services and investment and encouraging the
establishment of more production networks in the region, the possibility
of a Roadmap for Rationalisation of Logistics Services may be explored.
Excellencies,
15. The threat to our countries from the menace of international
terrorism has, unfortunately, increased in recent times. The terrorist
attack on our financial capital, Mumbai, in 2008, leading to the loss of
hundreds of innocent Indian and foreign lives shook not just our region,
but the world as a whole, for the complete disregard of human decency.
16. Terrorism threatens democratic and open societies. International
solidarity is necessary in order to combat this scourge effectively. We
should unequivocally condemn terrorism; no cause or reasoning can be
used to justify such acts. In this context, the early adoption of the
Comprehensive Convention on Terrorism being discussed in the United
Nations is an immediate imperative.
17. In 2003, we adopted a Joint Declaration in Bali to cooperate in
combating international terrorism. In the light of such terrorist
attacks, it is appropriate that we exchange information and intelligence
and develop more effective counter-terrorism initiatives, to enable
sustainable development of our region.
18. The Millennium Development Goals adopted by Heads of
States/Government at the UN Millennium Summit in September 2000 form a
minimum core of development objectives that are a must for better
quality of life for the human kind. It is particularly important that we
do not lose sight of these objectives in the current economic downturn.
Regional structures
19. I may note the progress made by SAARC in bringing South Asian
countries together over the last two decades. The SAARC development fund
has made a promising beginning. SAARC countries have agreed on moving
towards a South Asian Customs Union and Economic Union; established a
SAARC Food Bank; are improving physical connectivity; and are
establishing a South Asian university.
Excellencies,
20. Looking further ahead, India and ASEAN have prepared a common
India-ASEAN Vision 2020 document, with its long-term strategic
implications. It provides an excellent road map for realizing the
potential of our relationship. Significance of ASEAN – India
relationship as an important factor contributing to economic growth and
stability of our region could hardly be overemphasized.
Thank you.
Phuket
July 22, 2009
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