ASEAN Post Summit Meeting With Australia
Joint Statement
Following is the full text of the joint statement
issued on 7 August at the conclusion of' the meeting of the
ASEAN Heads of Government and the Prime Minister of
Australia, Begins: the On the invitation of the ASEAN Heads of Government
tePrime Minister of Australia, Mr Malcolm Fraser, met the
ASEAN Heads of Government in Kuala Lumpur on 7 August, 1977
upon completion of the meeting of the ASEAN Heads of Government.
The'meeting with the Prime Minister of Australia was attended
by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, General Soeharto:
the Prime Minister of Malaysia, Datuk Hussein Onn: the
President of the Republic of the Philippines, Mr Ferdinand
E. Marcos: the Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore,
Mr Lee Kuan Yew: and the Prime Minister of Thailand,
Mr Tanin Kraivixien.
2. The meeting was held in a friendly and cordial
atmosphere reflecting the traditionally close ties between
Australia and the ASE. AN countries.
3. This was the first occasion on which Australia and
the Association of South East Asian Nations had met together
at Head of Government level. The five ASEAN Heads of
Government and the Australian Prime Minister agreed that
this historic meeting had been of the greatest value in
furthering the strong and friendly ties that have linked
Australia with these five countries for more than three
decades. The ASEAN Heads of Government and the Prime Minister
of Australia agreed that this meeting at the highest level
demonstrated their mutual desire to enhance ASEAN-Australia
cooperation.
4. The Prime Minister of Australia was informed of
the progress and achievements of ASEAN, in particular since
the meeting of the ASEAN Heads of Government in Bali in
February, 1976. He was also informed of the results of the
meeting of the ASEAN Heads of Government in Kuala Lumpur.
It was emphasised that ASEAN was established for the purpose
of promoting economic, social and cultural cooperation in
South East Asia,-and, in particular, for the positive steps
taken by ASEAN towards strengthening regional cooperation in
accordance with the programme of action adopted at the
Meeting of ASEAN Heads of Government in Bali. The Prime
Minister of Australia congratulated the ASEAN Heads of
Government on the concrete results achieved at the recent
meeting in Kuala Lumpur. o0o0/ 2
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6. The ASEAN Heads of Government and the Prime
Minister of Australia reviewed the development of ASE. AN/
Australia cooperation. They recalled that Australia had
been the first country to establish a formal relationship
with ASEAN in 1974, and agreed that relationships between
ASEAN and Australia were strong and constructive. They
further noted that the continuing cooperation and dialogue
between ASEAN and Australia were clear evidence of this state
of relations. They referred in particular to the third
meeting of ASEAN and Australian Officials in Solo, Indonesia,
in May 1977 which resulted in the establishment of the
ASEAN-Australia Forum.
7. The ASEAN Heads of Government expressed their
satisfaction with the progress made in the five projects
under the aegis of the ASEAN-Australia Forum, They noted
in particular the substantial progress made in establishing
the protein projects, aimed at improving protein food in
the ASEAN countries, dhid the food handling projects.
8. The Prime Minister of Australia informed the
ASEAN Heads of Government that Australia would take a series
of measures to enhance the quality of Australia's development
assistance to ASEAN countries. These measures were:
A new commitment of dollars A10 million to support
joint development projects under the ASE. AN-Australia
economic coonperation programme the original pledge
of dollars A5 million is now almost fully committed.
Such funds would enable the further expansion of
existing programmes and the development of new
proposals. ASEAN Heads of Government welcomed this
initiative and undertook to suggest further activities
to be carried out under this programme.
An undertaking to contribute to aspects of agreed
ASEAN regional industrial projects as they become
more fully defined, within the skills and resources
available from Australia:
A decision to increase the level of Australia's
existing bilateral aid to ASE. AN member countries
by dollars A90 million to dollars A250 million.
The Australian Government will, in the course of
coming months, discuss with each country the
implications for them and negotiate details of their
country programme:
An extension of untying of Australia's aid so as
to allow greater procurement from within the ASEAN
region of materials and equipment having substantial
local content:
Adoption of the principle of paying local costs
associated with aid projects in ASEAN countries by
funding up to 50 percent of project costs, or the
estimated foreign exchange component, whichever
is the greater:
Greater participation by Australia in co-financing
arrangements with a view to more effective and
efficient allocation of aid funds where this is
considered appropriate by the recipient country:
and Sponsorship of an ASEAN/ Australia investment
seminar which had been proposed by ASEAN.
9. Australia also agreed to meet the cost of a joint
ASEAN-Australia research project. The aim of the joint
research project would be to establish a sound basis of
knowledge from which a long-term economic relationship
between ASEAN and Australia would be developed. Further
details on this project would be developed within the
framework of the ASEAN-Australia Forum.
100 The ASE. AN Heads of Government expressed appreciation
for all these initiatives in the field of economic cooperation,
noting they would be in the form of grants. They recognised
that these initiatives would give added impetus to the ASEAN/
Australia relationship.
11. The ASEAN Heads of Government expressed interest
in Australia giving scientific and technical cooperation a
larger role within Australia's Development Assistance Programme.
The Prime Minister of Australia recognised the importance of
this matter stated that Australia would gi'~ e such assistance.
12. The ASEAN Heads of Government, while appreciating the
domestic-e'conomic problems faced by Australia at the moment,
expressed the strong wish to increase their share of trade
with Australia. The Prime Minister of Australia noted that
there existed opportunities for ASEAN to increase its share
of imports into Australia in all fields. The ASEAN Heads of
Government and the Prime Minister of Australia agreed that
they should improve the consultative mechanisms to promote
further cooperative and constructive approach to the development
of mutual trade relations.. And that in this regard
the Foreign Ministers would make appropriate proposals to
their respective Governments at the earliest opportunity.
13. The ASEAN Heads of Government and the Prime
Minister of Australia expressed their continuing interest in
improving the climate for international economic cooperation.
In particular they underlined the importance of achieving
solutions to the outstanding problems of developing countries
as identified in the final session of the Conference on
International Economic Cooperation in May, 1977, as well
as in other international ' fora. They agreed that urgent
positive steps taken on these North-South issues, including
the various elements of the integrated programme for
commodities, would make for greater equity and stability in
international trade and contribute to the early establishment
of a new international economic order. The ASEAN Heads of
Government and the Prime Minister of ' Australia also stressed
that agreements reached on commodity policy in the Conference 0 .14
on International Economic Cooperation should be implemented
as a matter of priority. In this regard they placed
particular emphasis on the need to establish a Common Fund
expeditiously and agreed that Australia and ASEAN would
cooperate closely to achieve this objective. They also noted
and welcomed Australia's initiative in establishing the
Commonwealth Technical Working Group on a Common Fund at the
recent Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London,
to study the part a Common Fund would play in commodity
price stabilisation.
14. The Heads of Government exphasised their common
interest in the stability of commodity prices, noting in
particular the damaging effect to developing countries of the
continuing decline in their terms of trade in relation to
commodities. They all endorsed the need for more satisfactory
marketing arrangements0 They noted the need to take into
account the total world trade in particular commodities in
reaching such arrangements. The Prime Minister of Australia
affirmed that Australia participates actively and positively
in the various existing international commodity arrangements
and will adopt a constructive attitude towards proposed
international commodity arrangements covering ASEAN commodities.
The ASEAN Heads of Government and the Prime Minister
of Australia agreed that other areas of economic cooperation
should be explored such as cooperation in the fields of
energy and tourism.
16. On the promotion of cooperative economic relationships
between developed and developing countries, the ASEAN Heads
of Government and the Prime Minister of Australia viewed
with concern the spread of protectionist tendencies in many
developed countries. They agreed that it would be in the
interest of developed countries to adopt policies which
would promote trade between them and ASEAN countries and expand
the flow of investment into ASEAN countries.
17. The Prime Minister of Australia thanked the ASEAN
Heads of Government for the invitation to this meeting.
The Heads of Government agreed that the meeting had afforded
a valuable opportunity for discussion on areas of cooperation
and development of understanding on matters of mutual interest.
18. The Prime Minister of Australia expressed his
sincere appreciation to the people and the Government of
Malaysia for the warm hospitality accorded to him and the
Australian Delegation and for the excellent arrangements
made for the meeting.