MFA Press Statement - 35th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting/ 9th ASEAN Regional Forum/ Post-Ministerial Conferences

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS PRESS STATEMENT

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and for Law, Prof S Jayakumar, will attend the 35th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), the 9th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the annual Post-Ministerial Conferences (PMC) in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei, from 29 July to 1 August 2002. Minister Jayakumar will be accompanied by Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mr Raymond Lim.

The theme for this year's AMM is "Responding to Challenges: Securing A Better Future". During the AMM, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers will review ASEAN's activities over the past year and chart new directions for the year ahead. On 30 July, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers will meet their counterparts from the People's Republic of China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

On 31 July 2002, the ARF Ministers will exchange views on regional and international developments. They will also consider several concept papers namely, "Enhanced Defence Dialogue within the ARF", "Recording System of ARF Confidence Building Measures" and an ARF statement on "Measures against Terrorist Financing".

At the PMC on 1 August 2002, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers will meet with their Dialogue Partners to exchange views on regional, international, political and economic issues. ASEAN's Dialogue Partners are Australia, Canada, China, The European Union, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the United States of America.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
26 JULY 2002