8 December 1995
Senator Evans will be joined by the Minister for Trade, Senator McMullan, and the Minister for Development Cooperation and Pacific Island Affairs, Mr Bilney. The PNG delegation will be led by Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sir Julius Chan, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Finance, Mr Chris Haiveta.
The Ministers will discuss international and bilateral issues, including the South Pacific Forum's handling of French Nuclear Testing, and the outcomes of the recent APEC Leaders' Meeting in Osaka.
Other key items include the PNG Government's recent national budget, PNG's progress in implementing economic reforms under the World Bank/IMF Structural Adjustment program, and Australia's $300 million a year development cooperation assistance to Papua New Guinea. Progress toward peace on Bougainville will also be discussed.
The annual Ministerial Forum was established under the 1987 Joint Declaration of Principles, signed by the Prime Ministers of Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Canberra