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Joint Statement of the Twelfth BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting Nay Pyi
Taw, 11 December 2009
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The Twelfth Bay of Bengal Initiative for
Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Ministerial
Meeting was held in Nay Pyi Taw, Union of Myanmar on 11 December 2009. |
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The Meeting was attended by H.E. Dr. Dipu Moni,
M.P. . Minister for Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of
Bangladesh, H.E. Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering, Minister for Foreign Affairs of
the Kingdom of Bhutan, H.E. Mr. S.M. Krishna, External Affairs Minister
of the Republic of India, H.E. U Nyan Win, Minister for Foreign Affairs
of the Union of Myanmar, H.E Ms. Sujata Koirala, Deputy Prime Minister
and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Federal Democratic Republic of
Nepal. H.E. Mr. Rohitha Bogollagama, M.P., Minister of Foreign Affairs
of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and H.E. Mr. Kasit
Piromya, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand. |
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His Excellency General Thcin Sein, Honourable
Prime Minister of the Government of the Union of Myanmar addressed the
Opening Session. |
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H. F. U Nyan Win, Minister for Foreign Affairs
of the Union of Myanmar assumed chairmanship of the BIMSTEC Ministerial
Meeting from H.E. Mr. S.M. Krishna., External Affairs Minister of the
Republic of India. |
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Heads of Delegation expressed their sincere
appreciation and profound gratitude to the Government of the Union of
Myanmar for the cordial reception and generous hospitality to the
delegations and for the excellent arrangements made for the Meeting. |
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The Meeting considered and approved the Report
of the 14th Meeting of the Senior Officials held on 10 December 2009. |
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At the conclusion of the Meeting, the Heads of
Delegation issued the following Joint Statement: |
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We, the Heads of Delegation to the Twelfth
BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting, having convened in Nay Pyi Taw on 11
December 2009, reiterated our commitment to the founding objectives and
principles of BIMSTEC to promote socio-economic development and to
create an enabling environment for cooperation among Member States. |
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We noted with deep concern the critical
challenges that climate change poses for the world at large, and for our
region in particular. Climate change threatens human security in areas
as diverse as food, energy and livelihood security; it also poses
existential challenges such as climate change induced large scale
displacement. |
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We welcomed the inclusion of Climate Change as
the 14th priority area of cooperation, as recommended by the 13th
BIMSTEC SOM and endorsed by the 11th Ministerial Meeting held in New
Delhi in November 2008. We accepted with appreciation the initiative by
Bangladesh to be the lead country for Climate Change. We are confident
that the inclusion of this new area of cooperation will contribute
significantly to the joint efforts on the mitigation and adaptation to
climate change in the BIMSTEC region. |
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We recalled with appreciation the finalization
of the following four documents by the 10th Ministerial Meeting. |
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BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating international
Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug
Trafficking.
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ii
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Memorandum of Association (MoA) among the Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Member Countries for the Establishment
of the BIMSTEC Energy Centre.
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iii
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Memorandum of Association (MoA) among the Bay of Bengal
Initiative for Multi-sectoral Technical and Economic
Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Member Countries Concerning
Establishment of a BIMSTEC Centre for Weather and Climate.
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iv
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Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the Establishment ofthe
BIMSTEC Cultural Industries Commission (BC1C) and BIMSTEC
Cultural Industries Observatory (BOO).
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We welcomed the signing of the BIMSTEC
Convention on Cooperation in Combating International Terrorism,
Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug Trafficking at Nay Pyi
Taw on 11 December 2009. We encouraged the Member States to sign the
remaining three documents at the earliest.
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We reviewed the ongoing progress in the
following priority areas of cooperation in BIMSTEC. |
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| Trade and Investment |
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We reaffirmed the importance
ofthe BIMSTEC FT A in promoting trade and investment in a
mutually beneficial manner for all Member States, and enhancing
competitiveness and socio-economic development in the BIMSTEC
region. |
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We welcomed the finalization ofthe text of
the Agreement on Trade in Goods and other provisions relating to
the Rules of Origin, Operational Certification Procedures and
the Agreement on Customs Cooperation at the 18th Meeting of the
BIMSTEC TNC at Phuket in June 2009. |
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We called upon the TNC to finalize the
Annexes to the BIMSTEC FTA Agreement on Trade in Goods at the
earliest. |
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We welcomed India's kind offer to host the
19th Meeting of the BIMSTEC TNC. |
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We took note of the ongoing negotiations on
the Agreements on Services and Investment under BIMSTEC FTA, and
urged the Member States to conclude them as soon as possible. |
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| Transport and Communication |
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Wc agreed that improved
transportation and communication linkages and greater
connectivity between our Member States are important elements
for the BIMSTEC process that will provide direct benefits to our
peoples. We expressed our satisfaction at the endorsement by all
Member States of the BIMSTEC Transport Infrastructure and
Logistics Study (BTILS) conducted by the Asian Development Bank
(ADB) and requested the Chair of BIMSTEC to formally communicate
the decision to the ADB. We advised the BIMSTEC Working Group in
Bangkok to liaise with ADB to initiate further steps w;ith
regard to the implementation ofthe recommendations of the Study. |
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| Tourism |
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We appreciated the finalization
of the Terms of Reference (TOR) at the 10th BIMSTEC Ministerial
Meeting held in New Delhi in August 2008, and the establishment
of the Tourism Working Group for the BIMSTEC to implement
tourism cooperation programmes and to follow up the Plan of
Action. |
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We welcomed the setting up of the BIMSTEC
Information Center by India for exchange of tourism information.
We expressed confidence that the joint promotion and marketing
of tourism destinations will promote the tourism industries of
the Member States and also create tourism awareness and better
understanding among the peoples of the Member States. |
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| Energy |
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We stressed the importance of
strengthening cooperation amongst Member States in the fields of
grid connectivity, gas pipelines, hydro power, renewable sources
of energy, energy efficiency and energy sector reforms and
regulations, and sharing of experiences and best practices with
a view to ensuring energy security in the BIMSTEC region. We
took note of Thailand's proposal to sign the MoA for the
Establishment of the BIMSTEC Energy Centre during the Second
BIMSTEC Energy Ministers Meeting to be held in Thailand in 2010. |
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We reiterated our belief that the proposed
BIMSTEC Energy Centre in India which was approved at the 10th
Ministerial Meeting would contribute to enhancing cooperation in
the energy sector among the BIMSTEC Member States. |
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| Technology |
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We reiterated the need to
enhance cooperation in advanced areas of fundamental and applied
scientific and technological research among the member states
and took note of the revised concept paper submitted by Sri
Lanka regarding the establishment of the BIMSTEC Centre for
Technology Transfer/Exchange Facility as agreed to by the Second
BIMSTEC Summit. |
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| Fisheries |
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We reaffirmed our commitment to
continue cooperation for the sustainable use of marine resources
through effective conservation and management of resources in
the Bay of Bengal and decided to include inland fisheries in the
scope of cooperation in this area. We welcomed the progress in
terms of the Joint Survey undertaken during 2007 followed by the
relevant workshop in 2008. |
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We also considered that more workshops
should be conducted to further promote cooperation in this
sector. |
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| Poverty Alleviation |
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We welcomed the progress made at
the first Ministerial Meeting on Poverty Alleviation held in
Dhaka in July 2008 and particularly noted the observations of
the Ministerial meeting. |
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We focused on discussions on poverty
alleviation in the context of ensuring food security in the
BIMSTEC region. Wc took note of the Plan of Action circulated by
Nepal and requested Member States to send their comments as soon
as possible. We also welcomed the kind offer of Nepal to host
the 2nd BIMSTEC Ministerial Meeting on Poverty Alleviation in
2010. |
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We welcomed the decision to establish the
BIMSTEC Poverty Alleviation Centre in Bangladesh as a step
forward for the realization ofthe MDGs in the BIMSTEC region. |
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| Cultural Cooperation |
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We recalled the Paro Initiative
and Plan of Action adopted at the First BIMSTEC Ministerial
Meeting on Cultural Cooperation held in Bhutan in May 2006. We
reiterated our commitment to expand cooperation in culture to
include cultural values, diversity and heritage and agreed to
extend cultural exchanges among Member Stales. |
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We looked forward to the early signing of
the Moll on the Establishment of the BIMSTEC Cultural Industries
Commission and BIMSTEC Cultural Industries Observatory in Bhutan
by the Member States. We expressed the hope that the BIMSTEC
Cultural Industries Observatory (BClO) would be operational as
soon as possible. |
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| Agriculture |
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We welcomed the progress made
during the 2nd Expert Group Meeting held in India and a wide
range of cooperation activities. We expressed hope that these
concrete activities and projects would be implemented
expeditiously. We felt the need to address the issues relating
to agricultural productivity, post harvest technologies and
management, and competitiveness in the region. In this regard,
we emphasized the importance of further collaboration in
research and development, technology transfer and private sector
participation among the Member States. |
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| Counter-Terrorism &
Transnational Crime |
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We welcomed the signing of the
BIMSTEC Convention on Cooperation in Combating International
Terrorism, Transnational Organized Crime and Illicit Drug
Trafficking by the Member States which reflects the resolve of
our Governments and peoples to combat the menace posed by
terrorism, organized crime and drug trafficking. We reiterated
the significance of the work done in the Joint Working Group on
Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime and its four
sub-groups covering Intelligence Sharing: Legal and Law
Enforcement Issues; Combating the Financing of Terrorism and
Prevention of Illicit Trafficking in Narcotic Drugs,
Psychotropic Substances and Precursor Chemicals. |
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| Environment & Disaster
Management |
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We agreed that the BIMSTEC
Centre for Weather and Climate to be established in India, as
approved by the 10th Ministerial Meeting, would be an effective
mechanism in promoting regional cooperation on disaster risk
reduction and management among BIMSTEC Member States. |
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| Public Health |
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We took note of the efforts in
enhancing cooperation in the area of traditional medicine and
welcomed Thailand's offer to host the 2nd BIMSTEC Meeting on the
Network of National Centres of Coordination in Traditional
Medicine in 2010. We expressed our appreciation for Thailand's
continued support to BIMSTEC Member States in capacity building
in public health. |
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We also took note with appreciation India's
initiative on capacity building by granting scholarships to the
nationals of BIMSTEC Member States to study traditional medicine
in India. |
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| People-to-People Contact |
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We expressed appreciation for
initiatives taken by India to set up a BIMSTEC Network of Policy
Think Tanks. We expressed our hope that the forthcoming meeting
of the Network to be organized by the Research & Information
System for Developing Countries (RIS). India, in 2010, would
significantly enhance mutual understanding and goodwill through
people-to-people contact in the BIMSTEC region. |
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We also expressed appreciation for
Thailand's hosting the 12th Anniversary of BIMSTEC to promote
people-to-people contact and interaction among Member States. |
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We encouraged the Member States to observe
the BIMSTEC Day (6 June) to create greater public awareness
about BIMSTEC. |
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| Permanent Secretariat |
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We stressed the need for early
establishment of the BIMSTEC Secretariat to impart greater
dynamism and added momentum to cooperation among Member States
in the BIMSTEC region. We agreed that the Chair, in consultation
with Member States, will devise the mechanism in order to decide
the venue for the Permanent Secretariat. |
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In this context, we directed the Chair of
BIMSTEC Joint Working Group to conclude its assigned tasks as
decided at the 1 llh Ministerial Meeting in November 2008, at
the earliest. |
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| BIMSTEC Centre |
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We thanked Thailand for its
continued contribution to the BIMSTEC Centre for the past five
years. |
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| 13th Ministerial Meeting |
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We decided that the 13th BIMSTEC
Ministerial Meeting and 15th Senior Officials Meeting will be
held in 2010 in Myanmar. |
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