asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will give details of the extraordinary meeting of European Community and ASEAN Ministers (Association of South-East Asian Nations) of Economic Affairs which was due to be held in Bangkok on 17 and 18 October last; if the two sides succeeded in agreeing to a new drive to increase and diversify economic and trade links between the Community and ASEAN; if so, the outcome from an Irish export position; and if he will make a statement on the matter.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - EC and ASEAN Ministers Meeting.
10.
The first ever ministerial meeting on economic matters between Ministers from the European Community and Ministers from ASEAN, Association of South-East Asian Nations, countries, with the participation of Portugal and Spain, took place in Bangkok, Thailand, on 17-18 October 1985. Ireland was represented at this meeting by my colleague, Deputy J. O'Keeffe, Minister of State at the Department of Foreign Affairs. The Bangkok meeting originated from a decision taken at a meeting of European Community and ASEAN Foreign Ministers held in Dublin on 15-16 November 1984. The informal Bangkok meeting was designed to provide an opportunty to take stock of co-operation between the two regions on the completion of the first five years of EC-ASEAN Co-operation Agreement and to consider how relations between them could be broadened and further strengthened. The EC-ASEAN Co-operation Agreement, which was signed at Kuala Lumpur on 7 March 1980, provides for co-operation in the fields of trade, economic co-operation and development co-operation.
In Bangkok the Ministers held extensive discussions on economic relations between the two regions. They noted that trade between them had developed and diversified considerably since the agreement came into effect and that development aid provided by the European Community had also increased. However, they also noted that, although the EC is an important economic partner, its share of ASEAN markets and of foreign investment in the region is not increasing as fast as that of other major industrialised countries. It was, therefore, agreed that a major effort would be made to strengthen the European presence in the ASEAN region throughout a comprehensive and concerted approach. As part of this process, they decided to set up a high level working party to examine investment conditions in the two regions, and to study ways and means of facilitating European investment in the ASEAN region, especially by small and medium-sized enterprises.
They also decided to expand co-operation between the two regions in a number of areas. These include provision by the European Community of training facilities in the fields of aviation, business management and executive training, and public administration; co-operation in scientific and technological research; energy co-operation; and tourism co-operation. The Community will also organise a series of trade fairs and seminars in ASEAN capitals in 1987 and 1988.
As far as Irish exports are concerned, Córas Tráchtála intend to take advantage of the major effort planned to strengthen the European presence in the ASEAN region by organising at least two trade missions to the area during 1986. The ASEAN region has been designated by CTT as an area of special interest. CTT sponsored two trade missions there in 1985, one for merchandise, expected to yield £13 million in business, and a second for services. In 1984, Irish exports to the ASEAN region were valued at £48.5 million, an increase of 8 per cent on the 1983 level of £45 million, while imports were worth £93 million, a 32 per cent increase on the 1983 level of £70 million. The increase in imports was mainly accounted for by a sharp increase in imports from Singapore. The planned extension of EC-ASEAN co-operation into the fields of training and human resources development and tourism will also present opportunities for Irish State-sponsored bodies, such as Aer Lingus, Aer Rianta, the Institute of Public Administration and Bord Fáilte and for bodies providing training in business management to increase their involvement in the ASEAN region.
Did the Minister say that the value of our exports to the region was about £48 million and that our imports were £93 million? Could the Minister say what countries are in the ASEAN bloc and give an approximate figure for the total number of people living in this area?
Without wishing to be tied down——
The Minister can send it on if he wishes.
In Malaya, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Brunei, Thailand — it is somewhere in the region of 300 million, but I am open to correction on that figure.