November 30-December 1, 2006

Date November 30-December 1, 2006
Asia-Pacific Forum 2006Asia-Pacific Forum 2006
Venue Hotel Nikko Jakarta
Jalan M.H. Thamrin 59
Jakarta 10350 Indonesia
Tel:(62-21)230-1122 Fax:(62-21)314-3631
http://www.nikkojakarta.com
Co-hosted Japan Economic Foundation(JEF)
11th Floor Jiji Press Building 5-15-8 Ginza Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0061 Japan
TEL:(81-3)5565-4824
FAX:(81-3)5565-4828
URL:http://www.jef.or.jp
Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)
Jalan Tanah Abang III/27
Jakarta 10160 Indonesia
TEL:(62-21)386-5532
FAX:(62-21)384-7517
URL:http://www.csis.or.id

Program"East Asian Free Trade Area (EAFTA) and its Basic Framework"

Session 1: The recent FTA movements in the East Asian region and future prospects toward the EAFTA

Session 2: What is Japan's proposal for Comprehensive Economic Partnership in East Asia (CEPEA) - Former Minister Nikai's Initiatives?

Session 3: An East Asian Community or the EAFTA? (Evaluation of East Asia Summit held in Kuala Lumpur last December)

ParticipantsList

SummarySummary

Chairman's SpeechOpening remarks by Mr. Hatakeyama (November 30, 2006 @JEF-CSIS International Symposium)

H.E. Drs. H. Muhammad Jusuf KALLA, Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, Dr. Djisman Simandjuntak, Chairman, Board of Director, CSIS Foundation, Mr. Sofjan Wanandi, Member of the Executive Board of CSIS, Dr. Hadi Soesastro, Executive Director, CSIS, Distinguished guests, ladies, and gentlemen:

It is my great honor and privilege to welcome all of you to the International Symposium, "East Asian Free Trade Area (EAFTA) and its Basic Framework".

In March 2003, JEF organized the first international symposium on Asian free trade area in Singapore with the cooperation of SIIA (Singapore Institute of International Affairs). Since then JEF held this symposium in Bangkok, Manila, and Seoul respectively with the cooperation of a think tank or university of each country, focusing on the future prospects of an EAFTA. This year we have asked CSIS of Indonesia to co-host this symposium. President Yudhoyono is now in Japan and agreed in principle with Prime Minister Abe on Japan-Indonesia Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) just yesterday.

Since JEF started this symposium three and a half years ago, there have been following noticeable changes taking place in East Asia.

Firstly the number of FTAs in this area increased remarkably including ASEAN-China FTA. As of now there are 33 FTAs in which at least one East Asian country is involved. As of March 2003 there were only 7 such FTAs. More FTAs are under negotiations, including Korea-US FTA.

Secondly a Joint Expert Group established in 2005 for feasibility study on an EAFTA came up with a report on EAFTA July this year under the chairmanship of Mr. Zhang Yunling who is with us now. The core of this report was to launch in 2007 an independent process to form an EAFTA consisting of ASEAN +3.

Thirdly Japan proposed to start feasibility study on an EAFTA from 2007 consisting of ASEAN +6 FTA.

Fourthly especially due to two proposals mentioned above the US expressed its displeasure informally with the recent development for trying to realize East Asian integration, excluding the US.

The last but not the least, the first East Asian Summit was held last year in Kuala Lumpur and the second one is going to be held in Cebu Island next month. In relation to this, many references were and have been made to East Asian Community even by leaders' of this area.

I hope that this symposium will discuss those issues I mentioned above, including the establishment of an EAFTA as well as the viability of an EAC.

On this note, I would like to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Djisman Simandjuntak, Mr. Sofjan Wanandi and Dr. Hadi Soesastro of CSIS, all the distinguished speakers and the panelists and you, the participants for making this symposium realized. In particular, I would like to express my sincere appreciation to H.E. Dr. H. Muhammad Jusuf KALLA, Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia, for delivering the keynote speech immediately after my remarks. I sincerely feel grateful that he accepted our invitation despite his hectic schedule.

Finally, I would also like to thank all staff of CSIS, which has greatly contributed to this symposium. I wish all of you an interesting and fruitful discussion.

Thank you very much.

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