ASEAN officials to meet in Bali

JAKARTA (JP): Senior officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are scheduled to meet in Bali next week to discuss the development and utilization of industrial minerals in the region.

Establishing an ASEAN minerals database and exchanging information on minerals and environmental legislation policies and regulations are high on the agenda of the Senior Official Meeting (SOM), which will be held in Bali from Oct. 22 to Oct. 24.

Action programs for 1996 to 1998, and mechanisms for the formulation and implementation of cooperation programs will also be discussed at the meeting.

Each delegation is expected to deliver a "country statement" which will include guidelines for improving cooperation between ASEAN members in industrial minerals trade and investment activities.

National priorities and policies for the development and utilization of mineral resources, and legal aspects of foreign investment in the mining sector will also be discussed.

Previous ASEAN working party discussions on minerals cooperation concluded that each ASEAN government needed to make clear and attractive regulations and procedures to increase investor confidence.

ASEAN cooperation on mineral development began 15 years ago but progress has not been as fast as expected.

The organizing committee said the slow progress towards cooperation in the minerals sector was due to the lack of authority given to senior officials in charge of minerals. (hen)