Opening Speech at Fourth Secure Trade in the Asia-Pacific Region (STAR IV) Conference

Distinguished guests,
Dear delegates,
Ladies and gentlemen,

On behalf of the government of Viet Nam, I would like to warmly welcome you, honorable guests and distinguished delegates of APEC member economies as well as international organizations, to the 4th Conference on Secure Trade in APEC region (STAR 4) and the 1st APEC Senior Officials' related meetings in Ha Noi. I do expect that this pleasant atmosphere of spring all around here together with Hanoian's hospitability will bring you a cozy feeling during your stay in our economy.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Our Conference just marks the 4th year since the launch of STAR initiative in APEC process. I would like to convey our sincere thanks to APEC economies - Thailand, Chile and Korea - which have taken the leading roles in STAR initiatives and successfully organized three STAR conferences that form the basis for Viet Nam's host of STAR 4.

May I save your time by skipping the history and developments of STAR initiative as these contents will soon be covered in speeches made by Ambassador Benjamin Defensor, Chair of APEC's Counter Terrorism Task Force and Ambassador Tran Trong Toan, Executive Director of APEC Secretariat. Our APEC 2006 SOM Chair, Vice Foreign Minister Le Cong Phung will surely mention the STAR initiative in SOM 2006's process. May I, therefore, pass on three following messages:

First, we are now living in an inter dependent world. APEC, in its experience of 17 years of existence and development. APEC has proved its role as a forum whereas dialogue mechanism and cooperation activities, in a wide range of global and regional issues, have long been existed. As residents and citizens in Asia Pacific Rim, we have the responsibility to cooperate so as to build and to strengthen a secure and favorable environment across the region, ensuring human security as well as trade and investment facilitation. It, in turn, will help us to achieve the objective of a sustainable development and prosperity for Asia Pacific Community.

Second, APEC is a region with stimulating business activities and, together with it, is challenging uncertainties in terms of security and due to terrorism threats. With 21 members, APEC accounts for approximately 45.8% of the world?s trade, 21 of the world's 30 top container seaports, and 23 of the world's 30 busiest airports.

Furthermore, an intensive network of productions and labour division have been well footing in the APEC region. With that feature, we have seen diverse and intertwined security and trade measures in the region, ranging from maritime security, container security, total supply chain security, advance passenger information, control of Man-portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS), the implementation of the Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade of the World Customs Organization, control of radioactive sources, controls on the im-exports of dual-use biological materials and equipments, etc.

Yet, there are still differences in understanding and enforcement of security measures among different member economies, organizations and authorities. These, needless to say, have created difficulties for business community and other beneficiaries. What is more, security measures within the region are implemented inconsistently. All of these facts require a coordinate mechanism of trade-related security measures across the region without influencing on regional trade and investment and, of course, without increasing business costs. APEC has long been referred as an active hub, attracting huge amounts of trade and investment flows with intense competitiveness. This is our duty to maintain this advantage.

Third, our policies do only take effect if they are supported and shared by our people and stakeholders.Trade-related security measures are not out of this rule. We, thus, should set out conditions in which businesses and other stakeholders can contribute to the process of proposing, implementing and assessing the effectiveness of STAR initiatives and other security initiatives in the region. In addition, it's essential to improve capacities of relevant stakeholders in this process. That is why you may notice that we have chosen the main theme of STAR 4 Conference as: "Enhancing the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in the implementation of secure trade measures". The STAR 4 also covers the four sub-themes, as follows: (i) Trade and Security in the APEC Region: Perspective for the enhancement of PPP; (ii) Maritime Security; (iii) Air Security and (iv) Capacity building programs for secure trade activities.

Different from previous conferences, STAR 4 emphasizes on the the participation of private sector so as to collect ideas from various sources, aspects and channels, especially from sectors that mostly and directly affected by trade-related security measures, with efforts to minimize trade distortion impacts.

We truly expect to a harmonious coordination between Governments and business community, with consideration that this is a key to bring successes for our efforts in securing and facilitating trade activities and improving competitiveness within the region and contribute to achieve the objective of APEC 2006, "Towards a dynamic community for a sustainable development and prosperity."

Ladies and gentlemen,

I hope you will take into notice the above-mentioned messages during your discussion. I am a firm believer that with two ebullient working days, with highly knowledgeable and experienced speakers and to be sure, with your active participation, we can come up with the best possible solutions to balance trade facilitation and the enforcement of security measures. Thanks to these results, we may propose practical recommendations to the APEC's Counter Terrorism Task Force and 1st Senior Officials' Meetings, then, producing immediate and appropriate response in terms of policies.

Last but not least, I would like to thank you for your enthusiasm and wish you all healthy and enjoy your time in Ha Noi.

I would like to declare the open the 4th STAR Conference and wish it a great success.

Thank you