§ 1. Mr. SpringTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in developing relations between the European Community and the ASEAN countries.
§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Mr. Alastair Goodlad)Considerable progress has been made in strengthening relations during the United Kingdom's presidency. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs personally attended two ministerial meetings with ASEAN in Manila in 1992, the second of which I also attended. The outcome of the EC-ASEAN ministerial meeting last October has increased co-operation in a range of fields, including trade, environmental protection, technical co-operation and human rights.
§ Mr. SpringIs my right hon. Friend aware of the meeting of the ASEAN Trade and Industry Ministers in Jakarta in December, to discuss and promote the newly created free trade area? That new area offers important investment and export opportunities to British business. In the light of those developments, will my right hon. Friend comment on the relationship between the EC and the emerging ASEAN free trade area?
§ Mr. GoodladYes. We and our European Community parners welcome the establishment of the ASEAN free trade area, which seeks to achieve a trading regime compatible with the general agreement on tariffs and trade, with progressively lower tariffs. On 11 December, the AFTA council decided on the first tranche of tariff reductions on a wide range of articles from 1 January this year. We hope that that will boost commercial relations between the Community and ASEAN countries, which already run at $50 billion a year in two-way trade. Our trade relations are of great importance. The ASEAN countries are enjoying high growth rates and offer many significant opportunities for British investment and trade.