YOUR, EXCELLENCY MINISTER GONG RO-MYUNG,
DISTINGUISHED MEMBERS OF THE KOREAN AND ASEAN DELEGATIONS,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN,

IT IS WITH GREAT PLEASURE AND HONOR TO CO-CHAIR THIS AFTERNOON'S SESSION WITH H.E. THE FOREIGN MINISTER OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA. IT IS A PLEASURE TO SEE MINISTER GONG RO-MYUNG WITH WHOM I MET ONLY A FEW WEEKS AGO IN SEOUL ON BILATERAL MATTERS.

ON BEHALF OF MY ASEAN COLLEAGUES, I WOULD LIKE TO WELCOME YOUR EXCELLENCY AND YOUR DELEGATION TO OUR ANNUAL MEETING. I HOPE THAT WE CAN HAVE FRUITFUL DISCUSSIONS WHICH CAN LEAD US STRONGER AND MORE MEANINGFUL ASEAN-KOREA RELATIONS.

LAST YEAR, AT THE TOP OF OUR AGENDA ITEM OF DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION WAS THE ESTABLISHMENT OF AN ASEAN PROMOTION CENTRE IN SEOUL. BECAUSE OF THE ASEAN POLICY NOT TO ESTABLISH ASEAN CENTRES IN THIRD COUNTRIES IF IT ENTAILS COUNTERPART FUNDING ON THE PART OF ASEAN, THE APC PROJECT HAD TO BE ABORTED. THIS IS MOST REGRETTABLE.

THIS YEAR, AT THE INITIATIVE OF PRESIDENT KIM YOUNG SAM, THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA HAS PROPOSED THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE ASEAN-ROK 21ST CENTURY COMMITTEE, TO BE COMPOSED OF PROMINENT FIGURES COMING FROM ACADEMIC, BUSINESS, CULTURAL AND PRESS CIRCLES. THE AD HOC COMMITTEE IS SUPPOSED TO MEET AND DISCUSS POLITICS, DIPLOMACY, ECONOMICS AND CULTURE, AND TO SUBMIT THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND THE ASEAN MEMBER COUNTRIES.

ASEAN WELCOMES AND SUPPORTS THIS INITIATIVE WHICH WOULD CHART THE DIRECTION OF OUR RELATIONS IN THE 21ST CENTURY AND DEEPEN OUR PEOPLES' CONSCIOUSNESS AND SENSITIVITY ABOUT ASEAN-KOREAN RELATIONS, ESPECIALLY THOSE OF THE LEADING AND INFLUENTIAL FIGURES IN GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY.

AS A RESULT OF THIS INITIATIVE, ASEAN SUPPORTS THE LAUNCHING OF AN ASEAN-KOREA EMINENT PERSONS GROUP (EPG). AFTER EIGHTEEN MONTHS, THE EPG SHOULD SUBMIT ITS RECOMMENDATIONS OR PROPOSALS TO THE HEADS OF GOVERNMENT OF ASEAN AND THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA.

WE HOPE THAT THE DETAILS AND ARRANGEMENTS, PARTICULARLY, THE FUNDING MECHANISM FOR THIS PROJECT, CAN BE SETTLED EXPEDITIOUSLY, SO THAT THE GROUP CAN BE CONVENED AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.

MR. CO-CHAIRMAN, I AM HAPPY TO SAY THAT ASEAN-KOREA IN DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION HAS BEEN STEADILY PROGRESSING. EIGHT PROJECTS WERE COMPLETED IN 1995. TWO ARE STILL GOING ON; THREE ARE AWAITING IMPLEMENTATION. THREE ARE WAITING IMPLEMENTATION. TWENTY-SIX ARE PENDING, AND SEVEN NEW PROJECT PROPOSALS ARE BEING STUDIED.

WE HOPE THAT WE CAN STEADFASTLY PURSUE OUR COOPERATIVE ACTIVITIES, AS AGREED BY THE ASEAN-KOREA JOINT MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE. LET US INVOLVE THE ASEAN OBSERVER COUNTRIES IN APPROPRIATE PROJECTS IN ORDER TO EASE THEIR WAY FURTHER INTO ASIAN MEMBERSHIP.

THE KOREAN PENINSULA ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION IS OF KEEN INTEREST NOT ONLY TO KOREA BUT TO ALL OF US IN THE REGION. WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT ON-GOING FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES ARE STRAINING THE CAPABILITY OF KEDO. WE IN ASEA ARE CONCERNED WITH THESE DEVELOPMENTS AND HOPE THAT OUR MEETINGS, WHETHER IN PLENARY OR DURING THE INFORMAL CONSULTATIONS, WILL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE AND BE ABLE TO ARRIVE AT SOLUTIONS BASED ON COMMON EXPECTATIONS.

ASEAN SUPPORTS THE RESUMPTION OF THE DIALOGUE BETWEEN THE REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND THE DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF KOREA. ASEAN ALSO FAVORS THE CONTINUED VALIDITY OF THE 1953 ARMISTICE AGREEMENT UNTIL A NEW PEACE MECHANISM HAS BEEN AGREED UPON AND PUT IN PLACE.

THANK YOU, MR. CHAIRMAN.