MR. CHAIRMAN, DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES!

THIS IS MY FIRST VISIT TO THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION SINCE BECOMING FOREIGN AFFAIRS MINISTER, AND I AM HONOURED TO BE REPRESENTING CANADA AT THE ASEAN POST-MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE. CANADA ATTACHES GREAT VALUE TO ITS TWENTY-YEAR DIALOGUE RELATIONSHIP WITH ASEAN, NOW MORE THAN EVER.

IN ITS SPEECH FROM THE THRONE THIS SPRING, THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT DEDICATED ITSELF TO EXPANDING THE BRIDGES --POLITICAL, COMMERCIAL, CULTURAL, AND PERSON-TO-PERSON-- THAT BIND OUR COUNTRY TO THE ASIA- PACIFIC. IT ALSO COMMITTED ITSELF TO SEVERAL KEY MULTILATERAL ISSUES WHICH I BELIEVE ARE VERY RELEVANT TO THE ASEAN REGION.

IN THIS CONTEXT I NOTE THAT YESTERDAY WAS CHILDRENS' DAY IN INDONESIA. UNFORTUNATELY WHAT SHOULD BE A CELEBRATION OF CHILDREN HAS ITS DARK SIDE WITH THE SINISTER SEXUAL EXPLOITATION OF YOUNG INNOCENT VICTIMS AROUND THE WORLD. THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT HAS PROMISED TO FIGHT SUCH PRACTICES. WE HAVE AMENDED OUR CRIMINAL CODE TO ENABLE US TO PROSECUTE ANY CANADIAN WHO WHILE ABROAD VIOLATES THE CHILD SEX LAWS OF ANOTHER COUNTRY. THROUGH CIDA AND OUR CANADA FUND, WE ARE SUPPORTING INITIATIVES, SUCH AS ONE I VISITED LAST WEEK IN CHIANG MAI, THAILAND, THAT CAN HELP CHILDREN AND THEIR COMMUNITIES BREAK OUT OF CYCLES OF EXPLOITATION THAT OFTEN SEEM INEVITABLE. WE ALSO INTEND TO HELP TRAIN POLICE IN OTHER COUNTRIES TO DEAL WITH CHILD EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE.

CANADA RECOGNIZES THE MASSIVE IMPORTANCE OF ASIA-PACIFIC AND THE COUNTRIES OF ASEAN IN THE ECONOMIC WELL-BEING OF THE WORLD ECONOMY. THE PRIME MINISTER OF CANADA, ACCOMPANIED BY PROVINCIAL PREMIERS AND LARGE NUMBERS OF COMPANY CEOS, HAS LED TWO VERY SUCCESSFUL TEAM CANADA VISITS TO THIS REGION AND WILL LEAD ANOTHER TEAM CANADA MISSION NEXT JANUARY TO THE PHILIPPINES AND THAILAND. HE WILL ALSO GO TO JAPAN THIS NOVEMBER. I EXPECT THESE VISITS TO SE AS PRODUCTIVE AS THEIR PREDECESSORS. I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE TRADE MINISTERS FROM NAFTA AND AFTA EXPLORE HOW OUR TWO TRADING GROUPS COULD WORK MUCH MORE CLOSELY TOGETHER.

ECONOMIC EXPANSION IN THE. ASIA-PACIFIC REGION IS HAPPENING AT AN EXHILARATING PACE. AT THE SAME TIME, PRESSURES ARE INCREASING FOR DEMOCRATIZATION, CENTRES OF INFLUENCE ARE SHIFTING AND DEMANDS FOR ACCOUNTABILITY ARE GROWING. LONG-TERM PROSPERITY REQUIRES STABILITY, AND STABILITY IN ONE AREA IS AFFECTED BY INSTABILITY IN ANOTHER.

THAT IS WHY WE MUST NOT BE BLIND TO THE SITUATION IN MYANMAR. WHILE WE WELCOME BURMA'S OPENING TO ITS NEIGHBOURS, IT IS INCUMBENT ON US ALL TO PURSUE WAYS TO ENCOURAGE THE SLORC TO MAKE A REAL COMMITMENT TO DEMOCRATIC REFORM AND NATIONAL RECONCILIATION. CONSTRUCTIVE ENGAGEMENT MUST BE GENUINELY CONSTRUCTIVE. ONE INITIAL AREA WHERE WE COULD WORK TOGETHER IS IN CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF NARCOTICS OUT OF BURMA. AS WE DISCUSSED YESTERDAY, THE DRUG TRADE IS A PROBLEM THAT CUTS ACROSS BORDERS, THREATENS US ALL AND THAT NO ONE COUNTRY CAN SOLVE ALONE. CANADA IS WILLING TO CONTRIBUTE TOWARD A SOLUTION.

WE MUST EXPLORE OTHER SPECIFIC MEASURES WHERE WE COULD DRAW OUT THE SLORC; FOR EXAMPLE, THE POSSIBILITY OF A UNITED NATIONS-SPONSORED CONTACT GROUP. IT IS A SUGGESTION THAT CANADA WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE FOR CONSIDERATION HERE IN JAKARTA AND IN THE PERIOD LEADING UP TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY MEETINGS IN SEPTEMBER. OBVIOUSLY THOUGH, SUCH AN INITIATIVE CAN ONLY SUCCEED IF ASEAN COUNTRIES TAKE A LEADING ROLE.

ASEAN CIRCLES THE SOUTH CHINA SEA. ON ITS NORTHERN SHORES LIES HONG KONG. WE ALL HAVE A STAKE IN THE TRANSITION NEXT JULY. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE JOINT DECLARATION AND THE BASIC LAW AND FREE ELECTIONS FOR THE LEGCO GIVE THAT TRANSITION THE BEST CHANCE TO SUCCEED.

ASEAN REMAINS A MODEL FOR THE REGION, WITH THE PROS PERITY OF THE ASSOCIATION AND ITS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS ROOTED IN PEACE AND SECURITY. CANADA IS COMMITTED TO FURTHERING THIS OBJECTIVE THROUGH PRACTICAL CONTRIBUTIONS IN THE REGION, FROM OUR BILATERAL AND REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION PROGRAMMES TO THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE WORKSHOPS ON OOPERATION IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA CHAIRED BY INDONESIA TO THE ASEAN-ISIS ROUNDTABLES. WE ARE COMMITTED TO PEACEBUILDING IN ALL OF ITS ASPECTS OF CIVILIAN RECONSTRUCTION AS THE CONSOLIDATING, FOLLOW-ON STEP TO PEACEMAKING. OUR INITIATIVE ON LANDMINES IS AN IMPORTANT-ONE IN THIS CONTEXT, SPURRED ON BY THE DE-MINING EFFORTS IN CAMBODIA. WE ARE ALSO INVOLVED IN ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION THROUGHOUT THE ASEAN REGION AND ARE READY TO WORK EVEN MORE VIGOROUSLY WITH ASEAN ON THIS VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE, PERHAPS FOCUSING ON THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION OF THE MEKONG BASIN.

THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT SEES 1997 AS A WATERSHED YEAR FOR CANADA'S RELATIONSHIP TO THE ASIA-PACIFIC. CANADA, AS CHAIR OF THE APEC LEADERS' MEETING IN VANCOUVER NEXT YEAR, IS ALREADY WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE PHILIPPINES, THIS YEAR'S CHAIR, AND LOOKS FORWARD TO COOPERATING WITH MALAYSIA, THE 1998 CHAIR. WE ARE DESIGNATING 1997 THE YEAR OF ASIA-PACIFIC IN CANADA. WE WILL HONOUR THE CONTRIBUTIONS OF CANADIANS OF ASIAN ORIGIN AND HIGHLIGHT THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT ASIA HAS TO OFFER. FROM COAST TO COAST, WE WILL ORGANIZE YOUTH FORUMS AND EXCHANGES, STAGE CULTURAL EVENTS, AND THROUGH SEMINARS AND CONFERENCES, REACH OUT TO CANADIAN BUSINESSES OF- ALL SIZES. I INVITE YOU ALL TO BE ACTIVE PARTICIPANTS IN BUILDING THESE BRIDGES TO OUR COMMON FUTURE.

THANK YOU.