DEPARTMENT OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 
P R E S S  R E L E A S E
www.dfa.gov.ph                                                                             2330 Roxas Blvd., Pasay City, Philippines                                                                        Tel. No. 834-4000 
SFA-AGR-378-07                                                                                                                                                           24 May 2007

 

RP-JAPAN COOPERATION TO PROMOTE

REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SECURITY

Meeting between

the Hon. Dr. Alberto G. Romulo

Secretary of Foreign Affairs

& the Hon. Taro Aso

Foreign Minister of Japan

Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tokyo , 24 May 2007

24 May 2007 - Secretary of Foreign Affairs Dr. Alberto G. Romulo and Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso discussed important regional issues during their meeting in the Japanese Foreign Ministry today (May 24).  Minister Aso expressed appreciation for the Philippines current chairmanship of ASEAN and recalled his visit last January for the meetings related to the 12th ASEAN Summit and the Second East Asian Summit held in Cebu .

“The Philippines and Japan are close partners in promoting regional cooperation for security and development in East Asia, and we welcome Japan ’s sincere and constructive regional leadership towards this end,” said Secretary Romulo.

Secretary Romulo expressed appreciation for Japan ’s initiatives for deepening ASEAN-Japan and East Asian cooperation.  These include the proposed ASEAN-Japan Comprehensive Economic Partnership (AJCEP) agreement, the East Asian Youth Exchange Fund, and regional cooperation for energy security, clean energy and avian influenza.

The Philippines and Japan will also be discussing a regional energy cooperation program on bio-fuels.  This Philippine priority aims to lessen ASEAN dependence on imported oil and to strengthen energy security in the region.

In addition, the two Foreign Ministers reiterated their countries’ firm support for stability and denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula on the basis of relevant United Nations resolutions and the progress of the Six-Party Talks.

“I reassured Foreign Minister Aso that the Philippines continues to support a diplomatic and peaceful solution to the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue, and that we are prepared to facilitate any Six-Party-related discussions on the margins of the ASEAN Regional Forum meeting we will host in Manila in early August,” said Secretary Romulo.

The Philippines will host in Manila the 40th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM)/Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC)/14th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) on 29 July-02 August 2007. All the members of the Six-Party Talks are members of the ARF. END

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