REPORT OF THE INAUGURAL MEETING ON THE NATIONAL FOCAL POINT FOR ASEAN COCOA CLUB (ACC) ON ASEAN COOPERATION

AND JOINT APPROACHES IN AGRICULTURE AND FOREST PRODUCTS PROMOTION SCHEME 2-3 July 1996 Shangri-La's Tanjung Aru Resort, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia

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INTRODUCTION The ASEAN Cocoa Club (ACC) Inaugural Meeting was held on 2-3 July 1996 at Shangri-Las Tanjung Aru Resort, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia. The meeting was attended by delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam and representatives from the private sector. A representative from ASEAN Secretariat was also in attendance. The list of delegates appears as ANNEX 1. OPENING CEREMONY The meeting was preceded by welcoming remarks from Dr. Mohd. Musa Md. Jamil, the Director-General, Malaysian Cocoa Board. In his remarks, Dr. Musa highlighted various possible areas of cooperation that can be initiated by the ASEAN member countries in the downstream activities, generic promotion and formulation of standard quality for ASEAN cocoa. The inaugural meeting was declared open by En. Ahmad Zubeir Hj. Nordin, Deputy Secretary General (I), Ministry of Primary Industries, Malaysia. The full text of his opening speech appears as ANNEX 2. ELECTION OF CHAIRMAN AND VICE-CHAIRMAN

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The meeting unanimously elected Dr. Mohd. Musa Md. Jamil, DirectorGeneral, Malaysian Cocoa Board and Mr. Eugene Pe, President of Cocoa Foundation, Philippines as Chairman and Vice-Chairman respectively. ADOPTION OF AGENDA The meeting adopted the Agenda which appears as ANNEX 3. BUSINESS ARRANGEMENTS The meeting was held in plenary. PRESENTATION OF COUNTRY REPORTS The meeting discussed the country reports presented by Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam. The country reports appear as ANNEX 4, ANNEX 5, ANNEX 6 and ANNEX 7. The discussion on the country reports appears as ANNEX 8. The meeting discussed the standardization of codes on cocoa and cocoa products for ASEAN countries and suggested that ASEAN adopts customs numbers for cocoa and cocoa products for all intents and purposes i.e. statistics. The meeting agreed that the ASEAN Cocoa Club be the representative body in all areas of cooperation in trade group dealings. Considering that Papua New Guinea is a major producer in the region, the ASEAN Cocoa Club requested the ASEAN Secretariat to look into the feasibility to invite Papua New Guinea to its future meetings. The meeting agreed that at future meetings, ASEAN member countries exchange information on trade issues such as tariff rates and non-tariff barriers (NTBs) as well as tax incentives on cocoa investment. The information will be compiled for presentation at meetings of the ASEAN Cocoa Club. MALAYSIAN INFORMATION PAPERS The meeting noted the information paper on the ASEAN Economic Cooperation in Agriculture and Forestry Sector and follow-up to the 10th ASEAN-Canada JCC Meeting which appears as ANNEX 9 and ANNEX 10 respectively. WORK PLAN (1996-1999) The meeting adopted the Work Plan for the ASEAN Cocoa Club, 1996-1999 which appears as ANNEX 11. The meeting also requested that the member countries responsible for the activities as reflected in the Work Plan (19961998) to submit the expected target date for implementation to the ACC

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Secretariat by the end of July 1996. 15. The meeting agreed that in all activities and assignments, all members communicate directly with Malaysia as the appointed lead country for cocoa and the ACC Secretariat. OTHER MATTERS The meeting requested that the ASEAN Secretariat provide a directory of focal points to the ACC Secretariat to ensure effective communications and participation at future meetings. The meeting noted the concern raised by the private sector on the high tariff rates imposed by the European Community on cocoa products. As such, the meeting agreed that ACC, as the representative body raise this issue at all fora. The meeting requested that Indonesia present their country report at the next meeting of the ASEAN Cocoa Club (ACC). DATE AND VENUE OF THE NEXT MEETING The meeting agreed that the next ASEAN Cocoa Club Meeting be held tentatively in November 1996 in Indonesia. In this regard, the meeting agreed to consult Indonesia on the dates and venue for the meeting at the Joint Committee on ASEAN Cooperation and Joint Approaches in Agriculture and Forest Products Promotion which will be held prior to SOM-AMAF in August 1996 in the Philippines. ADOPTION OF THE REPORT The meeting adopted the Report of the ASEAN Cocoa Club Inaugural Meeting, held on 2-3 July, 1996 in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT The delegates from Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines and Thailand expressed their sincere thanks and appreciation to the Government and People of Malaysia for their warm hospitality accorded to them and the excellent arrangements made for the meeting. The meeting also expressed their appreciation to the ASEAN Secretariat for its valuable assistance and support. The meeting was held in the traditional spirit of ASEAN cordiality and solidarity.

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