Jakarta - Indonesia hopes the solidarity between members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Japan could become a capital for wider cooperation in various fields.
Indonesian president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said in his speech at the special ASEAN-Japan ministerial meeting on the post-earthquake and tsunami in Japan at the ASEAN Secretariate here on Saturday "I hope the solidarity between Japan and ASEAN could be used for wider cooperation in the economic field and others."
He said cooperation in disaster handling between ASEAN and Japan had developed for a long tome with Japan being one of the ASEAN partners that has actively given help when one of the ASEAN member countries was hit by a disaster and in view of the fact that Southeast Asia and Japan were prone to natural disasters strong cooperation and partnership would be needed from all parties.
"In connection with that we have already had instruments among others the ASEAN Agreement on Disaster Management and Emergency Response which we should always refer to," he said.
ASEAN, he said, also has Coordinator Center for Humanitarian Assistance, an institution that helps coordinate extension of humanitarian aid in the region.
"This must be made more effective and I believe with the coordination and coherence among us all, members of ASEAN, ASEAN +3, East Asia Forum and ASEAN Regional Forum we could carry out the cooperation well to help a country or a region facing a natural disaster," he said.
The ASEAN-Japan special meeting was attended by Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa, special envoy from Brunei Darussalam Princess Masna, Cambodian`s vice prime minister/foreign minister Hor Namhong, Laos` home minister Phongsavath Boupha, Malaysian foreign minister Sri Anifah, Myanmar`s deputy foreign minister Myo Myint, Philippine foreign minister Albert del Rosario, special envoy from Singapore Chew Tai Soo, Thai foreign minister Kasit Piromya, Vietnam`s deputy foreign minister Dao Viet Trung, the Japanese foreign minister Takeaki Matsumoto and ASEAN secretary general Suring Pitsuwan.
Before attending the meeting President Yudhoyono received Japanese foreign minister Takeaki Matsumoto at his office.
"The meeting is for a courtesy call so it was about updating or explanation on the development of post-disaster situation in Japan," he said.
source : antaranews.com
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