Summary of Proceedings at the 1st Plenary Meeting

The NAECOC Outline of the Minutes of the First Plenary Meeting

25th January 2000, Niigata

The following is an outline of the minutes of the First Plenary Meeting for the Northeast Asia Economic Conference Organizing Committee under the responsibility of the Secretary.

1. Date & Time

Tuesday, 25th January 2000, 13:30-17:00

2. Location

Hotel Niigata, Fuyo room

3. Outline of the Establishing Meeting for the Northeast Asia Economic Conference Organizing Committee

1. Remark by Mr. Hirayama, Governor of Niigata Prefecture
2. The establishment of the Organizing Committee
   All participants agreed to the establishment of the Organizing Committee.
3. The Memorandum of Understanding for the Management of the Northeast Asia Economic Conference Organizing Committee
   Draft Memorandum of Understanding was explained by the Secretariat, and participants anonymously agreed to the memorandum (Annex 2).
4. Selection of Chairperson and Vice-chairpersons, and speeches by them

4. Outline of the First Plenary Meeting

(1) The Basic Policy for the Northeast Asia Economic Conference 2001 in Niigata

• Draft prepared by the Secretariat was basically agreed upon (Annex 3).
• The opinion to add information technology as a subject of discussion at the Northeast Asia Economic Conference 2001 in Niigata was expressed. The Secretariat will decide how to handle this subject.

(2) Activity Plan for 2000

• Draft prepared by the Secretariat was basically agreed upon (Annex 4).
• It was pointed out that continuity is necessary when the location of the conference moves in the future. In this regard, it was suggested that structure and activities of standing subcommittees are crucial factors.
• It was requested that the date for the Plenary Meeting avoid Tuesdays in the future.

(3) Draft of the Resolution of the Northeast Asia Economic Conference 2000 in Niigata

• The draft was agreed upon under the condition that it could be amended by a moderator of each session and the Secretariat according to discussions at the conference. The adopted resolution is attached.

(4) Middle-term activity policy of the Northeast Asia Economic Conference Organizing Committee
Participants expressed their opinions as summarized below.

• The establishment of a standing organization has great significance as the first step for the creation of new stage of regional cooperation in Northeast Asia which is originally complementary. There are many examples of regional cooperation or multilateral cooperation in the world. They can be useful for us.
• It is important to regimentate strong efforts in the region by promoting the cooperation among the public and private sectors, with participation from the DPRK and the ROK, which did not participate at the moment, as well as further participation and support from other Northeast Asian countries, especially from central governments, international organizations, the private sector, and NGOs.
• It is necessary to make the Organizing Committee practical and to achieve results. How to implement decisions, including asking the central governments for stronger commitment, must be fully examined.
• Meanwhile, scientific research and analysis are needed to actually resolve problems. The environment and system for research and study should be improved by promoting cooperation among research institutes. In this sense, it is meaningful to establish a standing subcommittee for transportation.

Subjects which should be discussed in the region or areas for future cooperation were suggested, such as transportation, trade and investment, energy, development finance (including Northeast Asia Development Bank), information technology, telecommunications, tourism, Tumen River area development, as well as social and cultural areas.

 

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The Memorandum of Understanding for the Management of the Northeast Asia Economic Conference Organizing Committee

On the 25th of January 2000, participants from the People’s Republic of China, Japan, Mongolia, the Russian Federation, and related international organizations participated in a meeting for the establishment of the Northeast Asia Economic Conference Organizing Committee. The following issues concerning the management of the Committee were agreed upon.

Title

1. The official title of this committee is the Northeast Asia Economic Conference Organizing Committee (the Organizing Committee).

Objectives

2. The Organizing Committee is established to organize and operate the Northeast Asia Economic Conference (the Economic Conference) in order to make discussions and policy recommendations more substantial and to produce more practical results. This includes research and study related to subjects in the Economic Conference, and the follow-up, aimed at the realization of the recommendations from the Economic Conference.

Functions

3. The Organizing Committee has the following functions:

1. To draw up a plan for the Economic Conference included the direction the Conference will take
2. To research and study related subjects in the Economic Conference
3. To formulate a resolution for the Economic Conference
4. To promote the realization of the policy recommendations, and other suggestions based on the resolution.

Structure

4.1. The Organizing Committee consists of a few members from each related countries in Northeast Asia and members from related international organizations and research institutes outside the region.

4.2. The Organizing Committee has a chairperson, who represents the Organizing Committee, and chairs the plenary meeting of the committee. A representative from the organizers of the following Economic Conference will be appointed as the chairperson.

4.3. The Organizing Committee has vice-chairpersons. A vice-chairperson is appointed from each related countries, excluding the country from which the chairperson originates. Each vice-chairperson represents the Organizing Committee in his/her country.

4.4. In regards to member succession, the chairperson will consult with the vice-chairperson, from the same country as the member involved, before any decisions are made.

4.5. The voicing of members within the framework of this agreement are based on their individual will. Therefore, their voicing do not necessarily reflect the policy or the direction of the bodies they are affiliated with, neither does it restrict these bodies’ decision making abilities or activities

Plenary meeting of the Organizing Committee

5.1 The Organizing Committee calls for a plenary meeting consisting of all members twice a year. One of these two meetings is to be held around the same time as the Economic Conference. If a proxy attends the meeting, the member is requested to report it to the chairperson in advance.

5.2 The Plenary meeting has the right to decide the following matters:

1. The policy and plan for the Economic Conference
2. The annual activity plan
3. The organizing or reorganizing of standing subcommittees and research units, and their operation policy/direction
4. To prepare a draft of the resolution and policy recommendations from the Economic Conference.
5. Other matters related to the management of the Economic Conference

5.3 Decisions of the plenary meeting must be made unanimously.

5.4 Referring to the Plenary Meeting, the chairperson is able to permit the participation of related persons, who have interests in the activities of the Economic Conference and the Organizing Committee, as observers. However, observers do not participate in the decision making.

Standing Subcommittees

6. Standing subcommittees work on the following matters:

1. Based on the policy and direction with the Economic Conference, to discuss the structure of the session concerned of the Economic Conference, select candidates for panelists within and out of the subcommittee, and submit a plan of the session to the plenary meeting.
2. Based on the plan of the Economic Conference, conduct necessary research and studies, and report to the session in the Economic Conference.
3. To prepare a draft of policy recommendations related to the subject of the session, and submit it to the plenary meeting.
4. To grasp the current situation of the subject of the session, put it in order, and submit a report on the policy and direction of the following Economic Conference.

Research Units

7. In order to research and study specific subjects, a research unit can be set up for a limited period under the Organizing Committee or standing subcommittees.

Secretariat

8.1 The Secretariat is set up in the framework of the Organizing Committee. The Secretariat works on the following matters:

1. To make arrangements for holding the plenary meeting of the Organizing Committee
2. To support activities of the Organizing Committee, Standing Subcommittees, and Research Units
3. To contact and act as a liaison among members, and to do administrative work necessary for the smooth operation of the Organizing Committee

8.2 A Director is appointed to supervise the administrative work of the secretariat.

8.3 The Secretariat is set up within the Economic Research Institute for Northeast Asia for the time being, and the Director General of the Institute serves as the Director of the Secretariat.

8.4 The Chairperson and vice-Chairpersons of the Organizing Committee arrange the management system, including a person in charge of administrative work, within their own country to carry out the activities listed in item 8.1. However, the Secretariat serves as the management system in the country where the Secretariat is set up.

Finance

9.1 Organizers of the Economic Conference are responsible for the following expenses, and expenses are paid through the Secretariat:

1. Costs to hold the plenary meetings of the Organizing Committee, such as the expenses involved in renting a venue and the firing of interpreters.
2. Expenses for arrangements and liaisons made by the Secretariat.

9.2 Committee members and members of the Standing Subcommittees are responsible for their own expenses for participation in the plenary meeting and other meetings, and all necessary costs for the their related individual activities in regard to the Organizing Committee or the Standing Subcommittees. Costs for joint activities by persons related, such as holding Standing Subcommittee meetings or costs for activities of Research Units, are discussed each time, including the possibility of introducing outside funding.

9.3 Irrespective of the previous two items, 9.1 and 9.2, travel expenses for the members of the Organizing Committee to participate in the plenary meetings are the responsibility of the organizers of the Economic Conference for the time being. However, the number of participants invited at the expense of the organizers is limited to a maximum of two from each country.

 

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The Basic Policy for the Northeast Asia Economic Conference 2001 in Niigata

25th January 2000
Northeast Asia Economic Conference Organizing Committee

1. Objectives

1. To raise the awareness of the promotion of economic exchanges in the region through practical discussions among knowledgeable participants from countries in Northeast Asia, as well as to make policy recommendations to the governments and other organizations which contribute to the establishment and development of the Northeast Asia Economic Region.
2. To confirm the progress in the realization of suggestions discussed at the past conferences, and to set up new tasks for future multilateral cooperation.
3. To expand the economic exchanges in Northeast Asia by promoting information dissemination to entrepreneurs and information exchange among them.

2. Date and Location

1. Date: 1st Quarter of 2001
2. Location: Niigata City

3. Organizers and Co-organizers

1. Organizers: Niigata Prefecture, Niigata City, Economic Research Institute for Northeast Asia and others
2. Co-organizer: The United Nations
3. Supporters: To be requested to related organizations

4. Structure of the conference

1. The Third Northeast Asia Economic Conference Organizing Committee Plenary Meeting
2. Northeast Asia Economic Conference in Niigata 2001

• Keynote speech(es)
• Sessions
  [Transportation Network]
  [The Environment]
  [Trade and Investment]
  Others (e.g. Energy, Finance)
• Concluding Session

 

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Northeast Asia Economic Conference Organizing Committee
Activity Plan for 2000

25th January 2000
Northeast Asia Economic Conference Organizing Committee

1. Organizing Economic Conference

1. To prepare for the Northeast Asia Economic Conference in Niigata 2001 (Economic Conference 2001) in cooperation with organizers based on its basic policy.
2. The Secretariat of the Organizing Committee formulates a tentative plan for the Economic Conference 2001 in cooperation with organizers before the Second Organizing Committee Plenary Meeting (Plenary Meeting). At the Second Plenary Meeting, the plan is examined, and a concrete plan is decided.

2. The Second Plenary Meeting

1. The Second Plenary Meeting will be held on 6th June, 2000.
2. Assumed agenda is a plan for the Economic Conference 2001, the establishment of Standing Sub-committee(s), and the organization of joint research.

3. The Improvement of the Organizing Committee Structure

1. Standing Sub-committee on Transportation will be established. Management policy and members will be confirmed before the Second Plenary Meeting.

4. Research and Study

1. The Secretariat and the Standing Sub-committee on Transportation will think about the direction of discussion and speakers of each session, and reflect them in the plan of the Economic Conference 2001.
2. Based on the basic policy for the Economic Conference 2001, related members of the Organizing Committee will conduct research on subjects related to the Economic Conference 2001.
3. The Standing Sub-committee on Transportation and the Secretariat will grasp comprehensive trends, analyze the current situation in the field, and submit to the chairperson information necessary to decide basic policy for the Economic Conference 2002.
4. The Organizing Committee will prepare for the setting up of research units in the following subject areas, in coordination with coordinators and related people. Units will begin research as they are set up. Names in brackets are coordinators.

• Development of Khasan in Primorsky Territory, Russia (Far East Marine Research Institute in Russia, Economic Research Institute for Northeast Asia in Japan)
• Pollution abatement of the Tumen River (Tumen Secretariat of UNDP, Government of Jilin Province, Economic Research Institute for Northeast Asia in Japan)
  Other subjects suggested by members

5. Information dissemination and request for cooperation

1. Members explain the meaning of the resolution of the Northeast Asia Economic Conference in Niigata 2000 to related Ministries and the private sector economic organizations in each country at all possible opportunities.