ASEAN minister hold transportation meeting

Rendi A. Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

The eighth annual ASEAN Transport Ministers' Meeting began in Jakarta on Thursday, with aims to free up the movement of people and goods throughout Southeast Asia.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting, which ends Friday, will discuss a wide range of issues, including airfreight, reducing bureaucracy and moving dangerous goods, an organizing committee statement said.

Indonesian communication minister Agum Gumelar, in his opening speech, told delegates that the forum, first held in Bali in 1996, aimed to gradually remove obstacles to make the movement of people and goods in the region easier and safer.

"The meeting will lay down solutions to remove obstacles that have hampered the development of efficient and competitive transport and logistic systems at the ASEAN level," said Agum.

ASEAN comprises Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Brunei Darussalam, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

China's communication minister Huang Zendong will also visit the forum.

The visit was part of the first annual ASEAN-China Transport Ministers meetings, the statement said, adding it was part of preparations to set up the ASEAN-China free trade area in 2011.

Meanwhile, tens of transportation experts and companies from across ASEAN have gathered for the first ASEAN Transportation & Logistics Conference and Exhibition. The showcase, being held at the Jakarta Convention Center, will also end Friday.