[Title] Joint Communique, The First ASEAN Heads of Government Meeting

1. The President of the Republic of Indonesia, H.E. General Soeharto, the Prime Minister Malaysia, H.E. Datuk Hussein Onn, the President of the Republic of the Philippines, H.E. Ferdinand E. Marcos, the Prime Minister of the Republic Singapore, H.E. Lee Kuan Yew, the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, H.E. Kukrit Pramoj, met in Denpasar, Bali from 23-24 February 1976.

2. The Meeting was held in the traditional ASEAN spirit of friendship and cordiality.

3. They reviewed the activities of ASEAN since its inception in 1967, and expressed satisfaction with its progress, especially in fostering the spirit of cooperation and solidarity among the member states.

4. They discussed developments affecting ASEAN region. They reaffirmed the determination of their respective Governments to continue to work for the promotion of peace, stability progress in Southeast Asia, thus contributing towards world peace and international harmony. To this end they expressed their readiness to develop fruitful relations and mutually beneficial cooperation with other countries in the region. They expressed the hope that other powers would pursue policies which would contribute to the achievement of peace, stability and progress in Southeast Asia.

5. The Meeting discussed ways and means of strengthening cooperation among member states. They believed that it was essential for the member states to move to higher levels, of cooperation especially the political, economic, social, culture, scientific and technological fields.

6. On the Zone of Peace, Freedom Neutrality, the Heads of Government expressed their satisfaction with the progress made in the efforts to draw up initially necessary steps to secure the recognition of and respect for the Zone. They directed that these efforts should be continued in order to realise its early establishment.

7. The Heads of Government signed the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

8. They also signed the Declaration of ASEAN Concord.

9. In pursuance of their determination to foster closer economic cooperation among member states, they agreed that a meeting of Economic Ministers be convened in Kuala Lumpur on 8-9 March 1976 to consider measures to be taken towards implementing the decisions of the Meeting of ASEAN Heads of Government on matters of economics cooperation.

10. They also agreed that the Meeting of Economic Ministers would discuss particularly the following questions:

i. The mechanisms by which member states shall accord priority in critical circumstances, such as natural disasters, major calamities, and shortages due to artificial or natural causes, to the supply of the individual country's needs in food and energy and priority to the acquisition of exports from member States.

ii. The measures to be taken for intensifying cooperation in the production of basic commodities particularly for food and energy.

iii. The formulation of appropriate measures for initiating cooperative action towards establishing ASEAN large scale industrial projects. Examples of some of the ASEAN industrial projects that could be considered by the Meeting of ASEAN Economics Ministers are urea, superphosphates, potash, petrochemicals, steel, soda ash, newsprint and rubber products. The Meeting will also give consideration to other projects.

iv. The instruments to be employed in preferential trading arrangements to facilitate the expansion of trade among ASEAN member states in basic commodities, particularly in food and energy and the products of ASEAN industrial projects. These instruments will include, but not be limited to, the following:

a. long-term quantity contracts,

b. purchase finance support at preferential interest rates,

c. preference in procurement by government entities,

d. extension of tariff preference, and

e. Other measures agreed upon.

v. The formulation of joint approaches to international commodity and other economic problems, giving priority to stabilization and increase of export earnings of ASEAN commodities, through commodity agreements, including butterstock schemes and other means.

11. The Foreign Ministers signed the Agreement on the Establishment of the ASEAN Secretariat. The Heads of Government took note of the nomination of Mr. Hartono Rekso Dharsono as Secretary-General of the ASEAN Secretariat.

12. The Heads of Government of Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand were warmly appreciative of the exemplary chairmanship of their Meeting by the President of the Republic of Indonesia and expressed their thanks for the traditional Indonesian hospitality extended to them and the excellent arrangements made for their Meeting.