All the functional committees met during the year to assess their performance, propose new projects and review the activities of the subsidiary bodies under their purview. During the year over 100 projects were implemented in various fields of cooperation.

ECONOMIC COOPERATION

On trade, prospects for greater intra-ASEAN cooperation received a further boost with new proposals for more effective utilization of the Preferential Trading Arrangements (PTA).

The Malaysian fertilizer project continued as scheduled with 88% of the project completed as of 31 March 1985, while the output of the Indonesian fertilizer project reached 535,000 metric tons by the end of December 1984. The Philippine and Singapore projects met with minor delays because of technical reasons. In the case of Thailand's Rock Salt-Soda Ash project, there has been a review of its viability and projected scope of operations as a result of the changing global economic situation.

Under the ASEAN Industrial Joint Ventures (AIJV) scheme, three more products have been approved bringing the total to seven.

In the agricultural field, the food situation was assessed as generally favourable and consequently an increase in food security reserve was considered unnecessary. Significant strides were made in food handling projects to cut down post-harvest losses. The proposed development of agricultural cooperatives and the establishment of a Centre for it offered new areas of cooperation. In forestry, the ASEAN - Canada Forest Tree Seed Centre project was completed in September 1984. The ASEAN - New Zealand Afforestation project was further extended and saw an expansion of planted area by 200 hectares.

Cooperation in finance and banking progressed during the year under review. These included the completion for signing two ASEAN - UNDP project documents concerning training for supervisory staff of the ASEAN Insurance Commissioners, a seminar on Debt Management and Financial Techniques and the increase in the number of bilateral agreements on the avoidance of double taxation to eight. Brunei Darussalam and Singapore also began preliminary discussions for such agreements.

An important development for ASEAN co- operation in transport and communication was the initialling of the Agreement on the Recognition of Domestic Driving Licences Issued by ASEAN Countries. A decision was made to review the ASEAN Circle Trip Fare and ASEAN Promotional Fare which will include Brunei Darussalam in the fare structure as well as to review its effectiveness in the promotion of intra-ASEAN tourism. A decision was also made to undertake a feasibility study on the Establishment of an ASEAN Liner Service/Joint Shipping operations to be funded from the ASEAN Fund.

SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION

In social development cooperation, 7 projects under Phase III of the ASEAN Population Programme (APP) (1984 - 1987) commenced during the year.

An assessment of 5 sub-projects of the ASEAN Development Education Project (ADEP) on various aspects of education was also carried out and the reports would be disseminated to member countries.

To complement the ASEAN Youth Programmes, the ASEAN Youth Forum decided that various programmes be implemented by each member country in 1985.

Three programmes were identified for implementation under the ASEAN Women Programmes (AWP). There was progress in the preparation of a Memorandum of Understanding on an Australian funded ASEAN Diabetes Prevention and Control. Activities of Phase II for the period 1984 - 1986 on ASEAN Technical Cooperation on Pharmaceuticals also saw progress during the year. Administrative rationalization pertaining to the ASEAN Committee on Social Development vis-a-vis its subsidiary bodies was initiated.

CULTURE AND INFORMATION COOPERATION

During the year, 36 projects were successfully implemented in this field. These included the ASEAN Travelling Exhibition of Painting and Photographs, the Exhibition of Children's Art Works, the Festival of Performance Arts the ASEAN Youth Music Workshop and the ASEAN Song Festival. The second ASEAN documentary film on socio-cultural aspects of ASEAN was completed and due for screening in member countries on the ASEAN Day, 8 August 1985. In addition a Memorandum of Understanding concerning cooperation with Australia on a Media and Information project was beinq finalised.

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND ENERGY COOPERATION

In science and technology cooperation, the year under review witnessed the successful implementation of on-going and new projects. This was demonstrated by the completion of the Protein Project during the year, and the Project on the Management and Utilization of Food Waste Materials. Their technologies can now be transferred for industrial or commercial use. In addition, activities of the Food Technology Research and Development Project encompassing processing, preservation, packaging and storage were in their various stages of implementation with some of the findings ready for industrial application.

ASEAN energy cooperation focussed mainly on non-conventional energy research, while on environment cooperation progress was registered in nature conservation and on marine environment ment areas.

Marine science cooperation received positive responses from Australia, Canada and the United States. The Memorandum of Understanding on ASEAN - Canada Cooperative Programme in Marine Science was signed between ASEAN and Canada on 21 December 1984 by Indonesia on behalf of ASEAN.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS
OF THE TASK FORCE ON ASEAN COOPERATION

Pursuant to the decision of the 17th AMM, and in consultation with the ASEAN Standing Committee, the Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat conveyed the accepted recommendations of the Task Force to appropriate ASEAN bodies. A progress report indicated that the relevant ASEAN bodies have noted the recommendations and are taking steps to implement them.

DIALOGUE PARTNERS

Cooperation with the dialogue 'partners continued. However, certain adverse developments took place which were detrimental to ASEAN's economic development. These included a move to impose countervailing duties on ASEAN's textile exports and a move against ASEAN's interest on GSP. During the year, ASEAN continued to press the dialogue partners to take concrete actions to open up their markets for products of interest to ASEAN.