The Fifth Conference of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information was held on 13-14 July 1998 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Conference was attended by H.E. Pengiran Setia Raja Pengiran Haji Jaya bin Pengiran Haji Rajid, Ambassador of Brunei Darussalam to the Kingdom of Thailand; H.E. Mr. Muhammad Yunus, Minister of Information of the Republic of Indonesia; H.E. Mr. Syleua Bounkham, Minister of Information and Culture of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, H.E. Dato' Seri Mohamed Rahmat, Minister of Information of Malaysia; H.E. Major General Kyi Aung, Minister for Information of the Union of Myanmar; H.E. Mr. Reynaldo Arcilla, Ambassador of the Philippines to the Kingdom of Thailand; H.E. Brigadier General (NS) George Yeo, Minister for Information and the Arts and Second Minister for Trade and Industry of Singapore; H.E. Khunying Supatra Masdit, Minister to the Prime Minister's Office of Thailand; H.E. Mr. Nguyen Khoa Diem, Minister for Culture and Information of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Dr. Filemon A. Uriarte, Jr., Director of the ASEAN Secretariat's Functional Cooperation Bureau, representing the ASEAN Secretary General, and their respective delegations. H. E. Mr. Sieng Lapresse, Under Secretary of State of the Ministry of Information of the Kingdom of Cambodia and another member of his delegation were also present, as observers.

The Conference was opened by His Excellency, Mr. Chuan Leekpai, the Prime Minister of Thailand. The Conference was presided by H.E. Khunying Supatra Masdit, Minister to the Prime Minister's Office of the Kingdom of Thailand.

The Ministers reviewed developments on their recommendations since the 4th AMRI Conference held in March 1996 and deliberated on issues of interest to ASEAN, especially on matters pertaining to information.

ASEAN Website for Culture and Information

The Ministers launched the ASEAN Website for Culture and Information designed to showcase the region's rich and diverse cultural heritage. The Ministers expressed the hope that the website would increase awareness and understanding and engender ASEAN consciousness. The Ministers expressed their appreciation to the ASEAN Committee on Culture and Information for implementing the project.

The Ministers noted that the effects of undue prolonged mass media coverage of the problems that have confronted ASEAN such as the transboundary haze have had an adverse impact on the number of tourists visiting the region. They called on the ASEAN mass media to help correct this situation. The Ministers also noted the need to shore up investor confidence in the economies of the region and urged the ASEAN mass media to report on the positive efforts taken by the Association and by member countries to strengthen their financial systems and to soften the impact of the crises.

The Ministers agreed that in the wake of these regional concerns, there was a strong need to close ranks with the other ministerial sectors of ASEAN cooperation in coordinating their public communication efforts to promote renewed confidence in the region.

The Ministers agreed to endorse the recommendation of the Senior Officials on the substantive resolve and cost-effective steps that will be taken to establish an ASEAN Satellite Channel by the year 2000 which will help to effectively promote ASEAN. The television channel will be received in all ASEAN countries and its reach will subsequently be extended to the rest of the world. Operated on a time-sharing basis, programmes for the ASEAN channel will be contributed by national broadcasters. It will be coordinated by an ASEAN network centre and partially funded by participating ASEAN members.

The Ministers directed a preparatory meeting to be convened in Singapore in October 1998 to resolve funding arrangements and to appoint a network coordinator from among the ASEAN national broadcasters.

The Ministers agreed that member countries need to continue exchanging and sharing views and experiences on how to respond to the phenomenon of globalization, especially in the inculcation of values and habits that they cherish and uphold, and how to inspire, especially among the young the love for country, the ASEAN region and their cultural heritage.

The Ministers affirmed the need to promote the healthy development of the Internet and to seize the opportunities made available by these new media technologies and collaborate on the creation, further development, and mirroring of each other's ASEAN websites to encourage and allow for faster and cheaper means of information exchange. They also stressed the importance of human resources development in these areas to enable all member countries to cope with the rapid changes and developments in this field.

The Ministers also agreed that ASEAN member countries should encourage the development of international content classification schemes which would take into account ASEAN concerns and views and that member countries continue to actively share ideas and experiences concerning the protection of children, and concern over the proliferation of pornography and paedophilia on the Internet. They called on government and industry regulators, parents and educators to play their role in safeguarding ASEAN's norms and values, particularly where children were involved.

The Ministers took note of the ASEAN Vision 2020 issued by the ASEAN Heads of State/Government in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in December 1997 and looked forward to the adoption of a Plan of Action by the Sixth ASEAN Summit in December 1998 in Hanoi, to work towards the goals and ideals envisioned. The Ministers agreed to extend their fullest cooperation and resolve to provide the communications and information support services to help bring about the Vision's fruition. In particular, they expressed their determination to exert stronger and concerted efforts to help promote ASEAN especially in the areas of investment, trade and tourism, in the promotion of ASEAN awareness and identity, and in building a regional community that is confident of ASEAN's future.

The Ministers expressed their sincerest appreciation to the Government and people of the Kingdom of Thailand for the warm hospitality and excellent arrangements made for the Conference. The Ministers also thanked the ASEAN Secretariat for their invaluable assistance in facilitating the discussions during the Conference.

The Meeting was hold in the traditional spirit of ASEAN solidarity and friendship.