107. The First ASEAN Transport Ministers (ATM) Meeting was held in Bali in March 1996. The Ministers signed a Ministerial Understanding formally establishing a cooperation coordination mechanism for the transport sector. The Ministerial Understanding also established the ASEAN Senior Transport Officials Meeting (STOM) to assist the Transport Ministers.

108. ATM/STOM will implement the ASEAN Plan of Action (1996-1998) according to the theme issues in Table 5.

109. Since telecommunications in some Member Countries fall outside the scope of the Transport Minister, the Chairman of the ATM was requested to recommend to the relevant Ministers, the convening of an ASEAN Senior Telecommunications Officials Meeting to look into the implementation of a coordinated and interoperable telecommunications service in the region.