PGMA's Speech during the Symposium on "Asia and Japan in the 21st Century

PGMA's Speech during the Symposium on "Asia and Japan in the 21st Century - Proposals by Female Leaders"

NHK Osaka Hall, Osaka, Japan (23 May 2002)

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

HONORABLE OTA, GOVERNOR OSAKA PREFECTURE; MR. HIROSE, PRESIDENT, NHK OSAKA; MS. REKIDO, SENIOR MANAGING DIRECTOR AND REPRESENTATIVE OF MAINICHI NEWSPAPERS COMPANY LIMITED, OSAKA HEAD OFFICE; MR. CANDO, MANAGER, MAINICHI NEWSPAPERS COMPANY LIMITED, OSAKA HEAD OFFICE; HONORABLE SYMPOSIUM PANELISTS; MGA PILIPINONG NARIRITO; DISTINGUISHED GUESTS; LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:

IT IS MY DISTINCT PLEASURE TO CONGRATULATE THE MAINICHI SHIMBUN ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 130th ANNIVERSARY. THE MAINICHI SHIMBUN IS A WITNESS TO MANY HISTORIC EVENTS, INCLUDING JAPAN'S GREAT PERIODS OF MODERNIZATION. AND CONSIDERING OSAKA'S SPECIAL 1,000 YEAR-OLD HISTORY AND OPEN CHARACTER, IT IS A FITTING TRIBUTE THAT THIS IMPORTANT FORUM ON THE FUTURE OF ASIA AND JAPAN BE HELD IN THIS LOVELY AND LIVELY CENTER OF INTERNATIONALISM.

THIS CONFERENCE IS BEING HELD AT AN IMPORTANT TIME FOR THE TERRORIST ATTACKS OF SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 CHANGED THE WORLD.

THE SHOCK OF SEPTEMBER 11 AWAKENED US ONCE MORE TO OUR VULNERABILITIES. WE DISCOVERED THAT WE WERE FACED WITH A NEW AND DEADLY DANGER TO OUR COMMON HUMANITY.

FORTUNATELY THOUGH, WE HAVE SHOWN THE RESILIENCY TO BOUNCE BACK. THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATROCITY RALLIED PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD TO THE BANNER OF FREEDOM AND LIBERTY. THE INTERNATIONAL COALITION BROUGHT TOGETHER MANY NATIONS, AS OUR REGION WAS AMONG THE FIRST TO RESPOND TO THE GLOBAL CALL FOR THE COMMON DEFENSE OF DECENCY, DEMOCRACY AND CIVILIZATION.

UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTIONS HAVE SET THE PARAMETERS FOR INTERNATIONAL ACTION AGAINST TERRORISM. REGIONS, INCLUDING OUR OWN, ARE MOVING TO STOP THE SPREAD AND ENTRENCHMENT OF TERRORIST NETWORKS.

I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THROUGH OUR JOINT EFFORTS AND SHARED DETERMINATION, WE WILL BE ABLE TO SECURE OUR REGION.

HOWEVER, WE MUST ALSO APPRECIATE THAT EAST ASIA MUST DEAL WITH MANY OTHER CHALLENGES. HUMAN SECURITY IS ABOUT SECURITY FROM TERRORISM, BUT IT IS ALSO SECURITY FROM POVERTY; AND SECURITY FROM POVERTY ENTAILS NOT ONLY POVERTY REDUCTION, BUT ALSO SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, SOCIAL PROGRESS AND POLITICAL EMPOWERMENT.

POVERTY, IGNORANCE AND NEGLECT NEITHER CAUSE NOR EXCUSE TERRORISM. YET TERRORISTS EXPLOIT THE SENSE OF ANGER AND HOPELESSNESS OF PEOPLE SUFFERING INJUSTICE, INEQUITY, POVERTY.

WE MUST CONFRONT THE DANGERS OF GLOBAL TERRORISM AND GLOBAL POVERTY ALL AT THE SAME TIME. WE MUST FIGHT AND WIN BOTH THE WAR AGAINST THE TERRORISTS AND THE WAR AGAINST MASS POVERTY. OTHERWISE, WE WILL NOT BE ABLE TO DRAIN ALL OF THE SWAMPS OF UNCERTAINTY AND INSECURITY IN THE WORLD.

HUMAN SECURITY SHOULD BE A GOAL AND AN END FOR US IN THE 21st CENTURY. THIS HAS BEEN HUMANKIND'S ASPIRATION SINCE TIME IMMEMORIAL. ITS FULFILLMENT DURING THIS CENTURY WILL DEPEND, IN LARGE MEASURE, ON A REGIONAL CONCERTED EFFORT.

KEEPING THIS IN MIND, I WISH TO MAKE THE FOLLOWING PROPOSALS.

FIRST, WE MUST CARRY ON OUR COMMON FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM. IN THE PHILIPPINES, THE PRESENCE OF AMERICAN FORCES IN BASILAN IN MINDANAO, TO TRAIN FILIPINO SOLDIERS IN COUNTER-TERRORISM OPERATIONS WILL CONTRIBUTE TO THE NEUTRALIZATION OF THE ABU SAYYAF WHO ARE THE TERRORISTS IN SOUTHWESTERN PHILIPPINES.

BUT THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE U.S. AND THE PHILIPPINES ON COUNTER-TERROR COOPERATION IS ONE OF EQUALS. WE WELCOME THE SOPHISTICATED TOOLS THAT THE AMERICANS BRING TO JOIN US ALONG WITH THEIR TRAINING IN THE LAST MILE TO ERADICATING TERRORISM IN THE JUNGLES OF BASILAN. BUT THAT IS NOT THE ONLY ENGAGEMENT THE PHILIPPINES HAS WITH THE U.S. -- THE PHILIPPINES IS ALSO ENGAGED ECONOMICALLY THROUGH ITS EFFORTS TO FIGHT POVERTY AND THROUGH THE SIGNIFICANT TRADE AND INVESTMENT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES.

INDEED, THIS MULTIFACETED RELATIONSHIP WITH THE U.S. WILL HELP ENABLE THE GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT LASTING ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL PROGRAMS IN THAT DEPRIVED, LONG SUFFERING PROVINCE OF BASILAN.

FOR THE PHILIPPINES, THIS IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT A WAR AGAINST TERRORISM OR AGAINST THE ABU SAYYAF OR EVEN ABOUT THE COUNTRY'S ACCEPTANCE OF U.S. TROOP INVOLVEMENT IN TRAINING. IT IS ABOUT RETURNING THE FOCUS TO THE DOMESTIC ECONOMY AND POVERTY REDUCTION.

WE ARE PROUD OF THE ROLE THAT WE HAVE BEEN PLAYING REGIONALLY AND INTERNATIONALLY IN THE COALITION THAT HAS BEEN CREATED TO BRING PROSPERITY AND TO BRING PEACE AND ORDER TO A WORLD THAT DESPERATELY NEEDS TO RE-DEPLOY RESOURCES CURRENTLY FOCUSED ON ANTI-TERRORISM INITIATIVES.

AT THE REGIONAL LEVEL, INDONESIA, MALAYSIA, THAILAND, AND THE PHILIPPINES HAVE CRAFTED AN ASEAN RESPONSE TO TERRORISM. WITH INDONESIA AND MALAYSIA, LAST MAY 7th, THE PHILIPPINES SIGNED AN AGREEMENT TO JOINTLY CHECK THE MOVEMENT OF TERRORISTS ALONG OUR COMMON SEA BOARDERS. THE NEXT DAY, THAILAND EXPRESSED ITS ACCESSION TO THIS AGREEMENT.

THE REAL DRIVER IN THE FIGHT AGAINST TERRORISM IS THAT TERRORISM DRAINS HUMAN CAPITAL AND ECONOMIC RESOURCES, AND POVERTY FUELS SUPPORT FOR TERRORIST ACTIVITIES. RESTORING SECURITY ASSISTS IN ENHANCING THE ENVIRONMENT FOR BUSINESS AND THE PROMOTION OF INVESTMENT.

IN THE CASE OF THE PHILIPPINES AND JAPAN, WE HAVE ADVANCED OUR COOPERATION SINCE PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI AND I IMMEDIATELY PLEDGED OUR SUPPORT TO COMBAT TERRORISM RIGHT THE DAY AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, BECAUSE ON SEPTEMBER 12 I WAS ON A VISIT TO JAPAN. JAPAN'S STEADY DEMONSTRATION OF ITS COMMITMENT DESERVES THE ACCOLADE OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY AS IT ALSO DESERVES THE CONFIDENCE OF THE WORLD IN ITS ECONOMIC RECOVERY.

WITH JAPAN'S PASSAGE OF THE SPECIAL LAW ON ANTI-TERRORISM AND THE AMENDMENTS TO THE SELF-DEFENSE FORCES LAW, JAPAN IS ACTING IN BEHALF OF PEACE AND STABILITY IN EAST ASIA. JAPAN IS CLARIFYING THE PARAMETERS FOR A NEW ROLE IN REGIONAL SECURITY. THE PHILIPPINES WELCOMES THIS MOVE AS THE PHILIPPINES EXPRESSES ITS FULL CONFIDENCE IN JAPAN'S EVENTUAL RECOVERY.

MY SECOND PROPOSAL FOR HUMAN SECURITY IS THAT, WE MUST DEEPEN REGIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION TO BUILD THE FOUNDATIONS FOR SUSTAINABLE GROWTH.

WE ARE PROGRESSING WITH THE ASEAN FREE TRADE AREA OR AFTA. MORE THAN 90 PERCENT OF ASEAN'S TRADE IS NOW IN THE ZERO-TO-FIVE-PERCENT TARIFF RANGE -- AND JAPANESE FIRMS ARE BY FAR ARE THE GREATEST USERS OF AFTA. JAPAN'S RECENT APPROACH TO BUILD ON AFTA IN THE FORM OF ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENTS WITH ASEAN COUNTRIES SHOULD BE PURSUED WITH VIGOR.

THE ASEAN+3 NETWORK OF BILATERAL SWAP ARRANGEMENTS UNDER THE CHIANG MAI INITIATIVE COULD BE A BUILDING BLOCK FOR ENHANCED MONETARY AND FISCAL COOPERATION. JAPAN IS PLAYING A KEY ROLE IN THIS NETWORK. FIVE OF SIX SWAP ARRANGEMENTS BY ASEAN CONCLUDED SO FAR INVOLVE JAPAN. FOR EXAMPLE, THE PHILIPPINES AND JAPAN ENTERED INTO A CURRENCY SWAP WORTH SOME THREE BILLION DOLLARS.

MY THIRD PROPOSAL IS THAT, WE MUST JOIN HANDS IN PROTECTING THE GREAT STRIDES OUR REGION HAS MADE AGAINST POVERTY OVER MOST OF THE PAST QUARTER-CENTURY.

IN THIS LAST YEAR, THE FIRST YEAR OF MY ADMINISTRATION, WE HAVE GIVEN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY A STABLE ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT. WE ARE CONTINUING TO STRENGTHEN THE PHILIPPINE BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT THROUGH AN ONGOING REFORM PROCESS, THROUGH CONTINUED ENHANCEMENT OF OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, AND THROUGH A FOCUS ON GOOD GOVERNANCE.

WE HAVE SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS TO PROVIDE OUR POOR WITH BASIC SERVICES, SAFETY NETS AND LIVELIHOOD OPPORTUNITIES, AND A CONCERTED DRIVE TO MODERNIZE OUR AGRICULTURAL SECTOR.

IN AREAS OF CONFLICT, WE HAVE A REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGY IN PLACE THAT AIMS TO INTEGRATE PLANNING ACROSS REGIONS TO GENERATE JOBS, BRING PROSPERITY TO THE PEOPLE AND MOVE THEM UP THE VALUE CHAIN.

THE PRIORITY FOCUS IN OUR QUEST FOR FIGHTING POVERTY INCLUDES THE PROVISION OF BASIC SERVICES, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY AND INDUSTRIES THAT LEVERAGE ON A REGION'S NATURAL ADVANTAGE. THE SECONDARY FOCUS IS ON DIVERSIFYING OUR EXPORTS AND SOURCES OF INCOME ON BOTH NATIONAL AND INTER-REGIONAL LEVELS TO PROVIDE FOREIGN EXCHANGE EARNINGS AND SUPPORT MACROECONOMIC STABILITY. WE ARE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON INCREASING THE COMPETITIVENESS OF OUR COUNTRY.

WE LOOK TO THE DEVELOPED WORLD NOT FOR DOLE-OUTS, BUT FOR EQUITABLE COOPERATION, AND I THANK JAPAN BECAUSE JAPAN HAS EARNED A VERY SPECIAL STATUS AS THE FIRST GREAT POWER IN THE WORLD TO PROMOTE PEACE THROUGH DEVELOPMENT WITH ITS GREAT OFFICIAL DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE.

WITH THESE THOUGHTS IN MIND, I READILY ENDORSED PRIME MINISTER KOIZUMI'S INITIATIVE FOR DEVELOPMENT IN EAST ASIA WHEN HE CAME TO VISIT THE PHILIPPINES IN EARLY JANUARY THIS YEAR.

WE ARE WORKING ON ELEVATING THE STATUS OF THE PHILIPPINES AS A TRUE GLOBAL PARTNER, NOT ONLY ON ANTI-TERRORISM BUT ALSO FULL POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC ENGAGEMENT IN ALL OF ITS FORMS: BILATERAL TRADE, REGIONAL SECURITY, AND GROUPS SUCH AS THE WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION AND THE UNITED NATIONS.

MY FOURTH PROPOSAL IS THAT, EAST ASIA MUST DO ITS RIGHTFUL SHARE IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

IN THE IMMEDIATE FUTURE, FOR INSTANCE, ENERGY SECURITY IS LIKELY TO BE A CENTRAL ISSUE FOR EAST ASIA. HERE IN EAST ASIA, WE HAVE THE WORLD'S HIGHEST DEMAND GROWTH FOR OIL, BUT OUR ANNUAL OIL PRODUCTION ACCOUNTS FOR ONLY ABOUT FOUR PERCENT OF GLOBAL CAPACITY.

COUNTRIES IN THE REGION ARE FINDING AND DEVELOPING ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF ENERGY, AND SOME APPROACHES MAY BE DESTABILIZING.

JAPAN, AS THE CHAIR IN THE NEGOTIATIONS ON THE KYOTO PROTOCOL, MUST CONTINUE TO DEMONSTRATE ITS LEADERSHIP IN ENSURING INTERNATIONAL IMPLEMENTATION OF THE AGREED TARGETS ON THE ENVIRONMENT.

AND WE SHOULD TAKE STEPS TO AVERT RIVALRY OVER ACCESS TO NATURAL RESOURCES AND TO PROTECT OUR VITAL ENERGY IMPORT ROUTES.

MY FIFTH PROPOSAL IS, TO PROMOTE SERIOUSLY THE SPREAD OF DEMOCRACY, THE RULE OF LAW AND NATIONAL EMPOWERMENT IN OUR REGION.

IT IS IN OUR MUTUAL BEST INTEREST TO DEEPEN THE ROOTS OF DEMOCRACY IN OUR REGION. THIS IS WHY WE READILY ACCEPTED THE NEED OF THE NORTH KOREAN ASYLUM SEEKERS YESTERDAY TO TRANSIT IN MANILA ON THEIR WAY TO SOUTH KOREA.

WE CAN ENCOURAGE THE PROCESS OF PROMOTING DEMOCRACY THROUGH MORE DIRECT LINKS BETWEEN OUR PEOPLES.
IN THIS CONNECTION, I WISH TO HIGHLIGHT THE ROLE OF WOMEN AS PRIMARY AGENTS OF CHANGE AND TRANSFORMATION. WOMEN HAVE HAD THE PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY FOR REARING CHILDREN AND FOR ENSURING SUFFICIENT RESOURCES TO MEET FAMILY NEEDS. WOMEN ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAJORITY OF FOOD PRODUCTION IN MOST DEVELOPING COUNTRIES.

THE MULTIFOLD CHALLENGES OF PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND HUMAN SECURITY FALL UPON WOMEN FIRST, YET THEY OFTEN LACK RIGHTS IN OTHER ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES. THUS, WE MUST REDOUBLE EFFORTS TO ACHIEVE GENDER EQUALITY IN EDUCATION AND TO ENSURE THAT WOMEN HAVE A FAIR CHANCE TO OWN LAND AND OBTAIN ACCESS TO FINANCE.

IT PLEASES ME TO NOTE THAT THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN SECURITY IS CO-CHAIRED BY DR. SADAKO OGATA -- FORMER UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES AND PROBABLY THE BEST KNOWN SYMBOL OF JAPAN'S COMMITMENT TO FIGHT GLOBAL POVERTY AS WELL AS AMONG THE BEST KNOWN WOMEN IN THE WORLD. I WISH TO SUGGEST THAT THE COMMISSION ON HUMAN SECURITY TAKES STOCK OF THE IMPORTANT ROLE THAT WOMEN PLAY IN EFFECTING CHANGE TO ADVANCE HUMAN SECURITY AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT.

LAST DECEMBER 1998, THEN JAPANESE PRIME MINISTER KEIZO OBUCHI DECIDED TO ADOPT HUMAN SECURITY AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF JAPANS FOREIGN POLICY. JAPAN INITIALLY CONTRIBUTED 500 MILLION YEN OR FOUR MILLION U.S. DOLLARS TO ESTABLISH THE HUMAN SECURITY FUND UNDER THE UNITED NATIONS AUSPICES. IN SEPTEMBER 2000 ON THE OCCASION OF THE U.N. MILLENNIUM SUMMIT, I RECALL THAT JAPAN ALSO PLEDGED A FURTHER CONTRIBUTION OF A 100 MILLION DOLLARS TO THE SAID FUND. AND RECENTLY WITH THE CONFERENCE ON THE RECONSTRUCTION OF AFGHANISTAN, JAPAN, AS THE LEADER FOR THE RECONSTRUCTION OF AFGHANISTAN, PLEDGED 500 MILLION DOLLARS OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS AND A HALF.

THE UNITED NATIONS SECRETARY GENERAL HAS CALLED FOR A COALITION FOR RESPONSIBLE PROSPERITY. EAST ASIA, OUR REGION, CAN RESPOND TO THAT CALL ONLY IN A REGIONAL ENVIRONMENT WHERE HUMAN SECURITY IS ASSURED, NOT ONLY FOR GLOBAL PROSPERITY BUT ALSO FOR WORLD PEACE.

THE CHALLENGE BEFORE US IS TO MAKE THE 21st CENTURY A CENTURY OF PEACE. AND IF WE ALL WORK TOGETHER FOR HUMAN SECURITY, WE WILL BE ABLE TO MEET THAT CHALLENGE SUCCESSFULLY.

THANK YOU.

[HOME]