Statement by His Excellency Mr. M. Morshed Khan, MP, Hon'ble Foreign Minister, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh at the 13th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 28 July 2006.

Hon'ble Chairman
Distinguished Delegates
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen,

I deem it a privilege to address the 13th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting. On behalf of the Government of Bangladesh, I would like, first of all, to convey our sincere thanks and gratitude to all the ARF members for their kind support for the participation of Bangladesh in the Forum. We attach importance to ARF as the foremost political and security forum in the Asia Pacific region. Bangladesh fully subscribes to the aims and objectives of ARF.

Mr. Chairman,

We meet here at a time when the other side of Asia is in flames. The alarming situation in Lebanon poses a threat to international security. Bangladesh calls upon all sides to stop bloodshed immediately and look for a durable solution through peaceful means.

Mr. Chairman,

Bangladesh has close links with the ASEAN countries. These have been reinforced through our membership of BIMSTEC and ACD. The potential for connectivity through road linkages or such efforts as the "Kunming Initiative", has also positioned Bangladesh as a bridge between South and South-East Asia.

Bangladesh's interest in ARF stems from her abiding commitment to global peace and security. This is evident from our adherence to all major international instruments on disarmament. As a signatory of the Nuclear Non Proliferation Treaty, Bangladesh is committed to supporting international efforts at curbing nuclear proliferation. We, however, recognise the right of a state to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. It is important that uniform treatment is applied both in terms of this right and the obligation to respond to international concern regarding nuclear proliferation.

The illicit trade in small arms pose a formidable threat to peace and security. We share the concern and the consensus on the need to combat this issue vigorously at the regional and international levels.

Mr. Chairman,

Another poignant indication of Bangladesh's commitment to peace and security is its involvement in the UN peacekeeping and peace building operations around the world. Since 1988, Bangladesh has participated in 34 different peace missions in 26 countries with a total of 51,501 of our troops having been involved in these operations. Bangladesh is now the largest troop contributing country in the UN. Bangladesh's commitment to UN peacekeeping is reflected in her readiness to make timely and sizeable troop commitment and to sustain this commitment, often under challenging circumstances. Based on experience gathered, Bangladesh has developed its own capacity building facility as a contribution in the field of peacekeeping. The Bangladesh Institute of Peace Support, Operation and Training has been developed into a state of the art facility for training peacekeepers and observers.

At the regional level, Bangladesh's vision for SAARC along with her partners emanated from her desire to promote collectively the well-being of the people of the region in an environment of peace and security. The 13th SAARC Summit held in Dhaka last November marked a forward movement for the organization with adoption of a number of focused and action-oriented decisions, the implementation of which will usher in a new era of economic and social advancement for South Asia. A similar scenario is discernible in Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), which is increasingly emerging as a bridge between South Asia and South-East Asia.

As a member of UN, NAM, OIC, and Commonwealth, Bangladesh has consistently contributed to international efforts at peace, security and development.

Bangladesh opposes terrorism in all its forms and manifestations and strongly supports the global fight against terrorism. Bangladesh is a signatory to all but one UN Conventions on terrorism. Accession of Bangladesh to the remaining one is under active consideration. We are closely cooperating with the UN and other partners in combating the menace of terrorism and have been regularly submitting national reports to the Counter Terrorism Committee of the United Nations.

Mr. Chairman,

In the context of global interdependence, disaster management has increasingly become of global concern as impact in one region influences the other. Cooperation among countries in the form of dissemination of knowledge and the development of collaborative network for early warning and preparedness is essential. As a disaster-prone country, Bangladesh, meeting the challenge over the years, has made considerable advancement in the field of disaster management. We believe there is a need to shift emphasis from a relief and response mode to a broader and more encompassing risk management framework with a view to reducing the vulnerability of the people. To this end "2005-2009- A Framework for Action" has been adopted by our Government. This document has been acknowledged by the UN International Strategy for Disaster Reduction as a best practice mode for others to follow.

Mr. Chairman,

We endorse the purposes and principles of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and its importance in governing relations in the region. We hope to sign the treaty at an early date.

Finally, I would also like to assure you that Bangladesh's admission in the Forum would contribute towards strengthening the cause of fostering peace and security in the Asia Pacific region. We accept our membership with a high sense of responsibility and commitment for contributing in moving the ARF process forward. We look forward to actively taking part in the ARF deliberations.

Thank you.