Top �� Speeches and Statements by Prime Minister

(Provisional Translation)

Joint Press Conference at the end of the Japan-Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) Summit Meeting (PALM 2003)

May 17, 2003

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan Thanks to the cooperation by all concerned we have been able to conclude a very meaningful Summit Meeting and I shall like to thank the Governor of Okinawa as well as the people of the prefecture of Okinawa for making this possible. I understand in Okinawa they say that once you meet and exchange words on this island, then you become brothers and sisters. True to these words, we have been able to enjoy a very relaxed and continual discussions in this beautiful Okinawa for the past two days. In the Summit Meeting, we discussed five priority areas. The region's security, trade and investment, development and healthcare, education as well as the environment. All are major elements for the region's development strategy for the purpose of realizing sustainable development. Especially with regard to the environment and education, all leaders were able to share common awareness of the issues and many concrete suggestions were made and we were able to put together the Okinawa Initiative as the result of the Summit this time. It is, I believe, an important achievement that in these five priority areas we were able to agree what specifically to do. Also, I think it was meaningful that the three major donor countries in the region, Japan, Australia and New Zealand were able to come out with a Joint Statement that they shall coordinate their aid and cooperate with each other for the effective implementation of this Okinawa Initiative. The success of the Summit this time, I believe owed to the efforts made by Governor Keiichi Inamine and the people of Okinawa Prefecture as well as the people of the city of Nago. Thank you very much. Yesterday, I also had the opportunity to take a look at the workshop of Okinawa non-governmental organizations (NGOs) together with the leaders of other countries, and I shall like to express my respect for all these NGOs' activities. In the spirit of brothers and sisters, we shall like to continue to expand and deepen our exchanges. Once again, thank you very much.

Prime Minister Laisenia Qarase of the Republic of the Fiji Islands Thank you, Prime Minister Koizumi. I would like to join Prime Minister Koizumi in expressing our very sincere gratitude on behalf of the Pacific Island countries to Governor Inamine and the prefecture of Okinawa for hosting this Summit Meeting which we have found extremely useful and fruitful, and I would like to thank him and his people for the very generous hospitality and kindness extended to us since we arrived here about 24 hours ago. We have had an excellent Summit Meeting over the last couple of days. As Prime Minister Koizumi said, we covered five major grounds. They are all of vital importance and particular importance to the Pacific region, and I believe they are also areas of concern and interest not only by Japan but also by a number of donor partners in our region. Yesterday, we were very encouraged when Prime Minister Koizumi expressed the view that he would like this Summit to be action-oriented, to differ in a significant way from the first two summits and that is exactly one of the greatest achievement of this Summit, that we do not only have a joint declaration but that is supported by a Joint Action Plan which sets out in some detail some of the things that we need to focus on and to try and implement as partners in our endeavor to promote economic and social development amongst the Pacific Island countries. We are also grateful that the three countries, Japan, Australia and New Zealand, have also signed a Joint Statement again committing their countries to assisting the Pacific region, and in particular in the need and the necessity to coordinate their efforts so that any assistance from any of the countries or from the countries combined is more effective in its implementation, in helping our island countries. My colleagues from the Pacific Island countries believe this is one of the most successful Summit Meetings. The suggestion and adoption of a suggestion by Japan that there be annual reviews of the implementation of the Joint Action Plan, I am sure will go a long way towards achieving the various issues and targets on which we have agreed. So that is another significant difference this time around. So all in all, we are most grateful to Prime Minister Koizumi for his participation in spite of his very busy schedule throughout this Meeting. We thank the officials of the Government of Japan for the organization of the Meeting which has been a great success. Thank you.