- The First Ministerial
Meeting of the Southwest Pacific Dialogue was held in Jogjakarta,
Indonesia, on 5 October 2002. The Meeting was chaired by
H.E. Dr. N. Hassan Wirajuda, the Minister of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of Indonesia, and was attended by H.E. Mr.
Alexander Downer, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia,
H.E. Mr. Phil Goff, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and
Trade of New Zealand, H.E. Sir Rabbie Namaliu, the Minister
of Foreign Affairs and Immigration of Papua New Guinea,
H.E. Mr. Blas F. Ople, the Secretary of Foreign Affairs
of the Republic of the Philippines, and H.E. Mr. Jose Ramos-Horta,
the Senior Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of
Timor-Leste.
- The Ministers agreed
that the main objective of the Southwest Pacific Dialogue
was to provide a forum for exchanging views and expertise
on regional issues and possible sub-regional responses to
present and future challenges. The Dialogue will be based
on the principles of regionalism, equality of members, non-interference
in the domestic affairs of each other, and flexibility of
approach in a spirit of mutual understanding and accommodation.
The Ministers will meet regularly and a Senior Officials
Meeting will be convened annually to discuss and monitor
the implementation of the Ministers' decisions.
- During the Meeting,
the Ministers had a candid exchange of views on issues of
common concern such as maritime-related issues, terrorism,
the environment, refugees, people smuggling, and other transnational
crimes. Economic and development issues were also discussed.
Ministers agreed that countries in the region should work
more closely together for peace, stability, security, and
prosperity for their peoples.
- The Ministers expressed
their absolute condemnation of acts of terrorism in whatever
form and wherever and by whomever committed, and acknowledged
that terrorism constituted a profound threat to national,
regional, and international peace and security. They agreed
to devote their individual and collective energies to meeting
the challenge posed by terrorism through a cooperative approach
including exchanges of cooperation. They also underlined
the importance of economic development and poverty reduction
in ensuring domestic and regional security. They emphasized
that the fight against terrorism was not targeted at any
particular religious or ethnic group. They committed themselves
to signing, ratifying, or acceding to relevant United Nations
international instruments dealing with terrorism.
- The Ministers shared
a common view that cooperation in the areas of education
and culture should be further promoted through people-to-people
contacts. In this regard, Ministers urged relevant institutions
and communities to participate in supporting this cooperation.
In this context, the Government of Indonesia offers scholarships
for 15 (fifteen) students for studying Indonesian arts and
culture in Jogjakarta and Bandung.
- Recognizing the need
to enhance cooperation among countries in the region on
maritime-related issues, the Ministers agreed to explore
areas of cooperation such as in the promotion of safety
of navigation and communications, coordination of search
and rescue, combating piracy and armed robbery, promotion
and preservation of the marine environment, and the conduct
of marine scientific research.
- The Ministers underlined
the importance of developing national strategies and regional
cooperation for combating transnational crimes including
money laundering, drug trafficking, people smuggling, and
people trafficking. They endorsed the outcomes and commitments
emerging from the Ministerial Conference held in Bali in
February 2002.
- The Ministers also
acknowledged the social and humanitarian nature of the problems
of refugees and committed themselves to continue fostering
regional cooperation on the subject.
- The Ministers noted
the importance of systematic exchange of information among
countries, cooperation in addressing border and security
issues, and in combating transnational crimes.
- Welcoming the conclusion
of the Johannesburg World Summit on Sustainable Development,
including the Implementation Plan and the Political Declaration
adopted by the Summit, the Ministers agreed to enhance cooperation
for the sustainable development of their countries.
- The Ministers thanked
the Government of Indonesia for hosting the First Ministerial
Meeting of the Southwest Pacific Dialogue and expressed
deep appreciation for the warm hospitality accorded to the
delegates.
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