Mr. Chairman,
Your Royal Highnesses,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It gives me great pleasure to be with my ASEAN colleagues on this auspicious occasion. On behalf of the Myanmar Delegation, I would like to express our appreciation to His Excellency Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai of Thailand for his most inspiririg address.

Allow me to congratulate Your Excellency Dr. Surin Pitsuwan on your election as the Chairman of the 33rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting. You have so admirably guided ASEAN during the past year as the Chair of the ASEAN Standing Committee and we are confident that under your leadership our deliberations will be successful.

I would also like to convey our deep appreciation to the Government and People of the Kingdom of Thailand for the excellent arrangements for the meeting and for the kind generosity extended to all of us.

Congratulate His Excellency Nguyen Dy Nien on his election as Vice Chairman of our meeting and I warmly welcome our distinguished colleagues from Papua New Guinea, Special Observer of our Meeting.

Mr. Chairman,

This 33rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting is an important landmark meeting as it is the first ASEAN Ministerial Meeting of the new millenium. We are meeting at a time when globalization is gaining momentum and the world’s economy continues to be marked by uncertainties and Imbalances increasing the risk that developing countries will be marginalized.

However, I am pleased to note that ASEAN has weathered the financial crisis and the future appears bright. The economic recovery was made possible by national policies and programmes as well as by regional measures, such as the process of economic Integration to maintain ASEAN’s competitiveness as a single trade and investment area.

That ASEAN has been able to overcome the economic and financial crisis within such a short period is due in large measure to the political will and the vision of its leaders to build a regional grouping which stands firmly on principles. In this regard, I fully appreciate your proposal that the AMM and PMC concentrate on ASEAN integration, human resource development and balanced development within ASEAN.

Mr. Chairman,

During. the past year, ASEAN has made significant progress in the political field. All the High Contracting Parties, save Papua New Guinea, heave already ratified the Second Protocol to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. It is our hope that. the Government of Papua New Guinea would be able to ratify the Protocol in the near future, paving the way for extra regional states, especially the major powers among them, to accede to the TAC.

It is also noteworthy that ASEAN is also working out modalities for the establishment of the ASEAN Troika and that our senior officials are working on the draft Rules of Procedures for the High Council under the TAC. We have also made progress in drawing up a Regional Code of Conduct in the South China Sea, which is important for regional peace and stability.

Mr. Chairman,

At, the 3rd ASEAN Informal Summit in Manila in last November, leaders of ASEAN, China, Japan and Republic of Korea laid down a long-term agenda for cooperation. The Joint Statement outlines various areas of cooperation. The ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers will be meeting for the first time at this gathering. The increased interaction is a clear indication of our determination to implement the Joint Statement on East Asia Cooperation. This is bound to enhance cooperation with our Dialogue Partners In East Asia to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous region.

Mr. Chairman,

ASEAN values its relations with all our Dialogue Partners as we endeavour to build mutually beneficial relations. In this regard, we are pleased to note the progress in the ASEAN-EU dialogue relations and welcome the decision to convene the Ministerial Level Meeting in the near future.

Mr. Chairman,

To conclude, let me say how pleased we are to note that that the financial crisis is now behind us and ASEAN is moving towards the establishment of a community of caring societies. We still have many challenges to overcome. However, I am confident that with our determination and vision, we will succeed in our endeavours. I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate Myanmar’s determination to cooperate with our colleagues to meet the challenges of the new millennium to ensure that ASEAN will be Strong, united and dynamic.  


Thank you.