REPORT
APPF TECHNOLOGICAL WORKING GROUP
11TH ANNUAL MEETING
KUALA LUMPUR 2003

The Technological Working Group met twice on Tuesday 14 January 2003.

Ms Jann McFarlane MP, from the Australian delegation was confirmed as chair of this meeting. Professor Yamanouchi, advisor to the Japanese delegation provided advice and information. The following delegations sent representatives to the meeting:
Australia, Cambodia, Canada, Chile, China, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Micronesia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Thailand and the United States.

One of the experienced Technological Working Group members made a presentation on the history and content of APPF websites. There are two types of web interface for the APPF – the ongoing home page which contains the foundation documents and information about the annual meetings and the website provided by each host country. The latter websites are maintained from about October before an annual meeting until the April following a meeting. The working group viewed examples of both web-sites demonstrated by Japan and Malaysia.

The home page has been ongoing except for a break during the past two years. Peru had maintained the APPF home page for many years until political difficulties caused a break in access to the website.

The working group addressed the ongoing maintenance of the home page. Peru offered to continue providing the server facility and to update the material on the home page to include information from the Hawaii meeting in 2002, the informal meeting in Isla Navidad, Colima, Mexico from 18-21 September 2002 and the Kuala Lumpur meeting in 2003. The meeting thanked Peru for its kind offer.

The working group agreed that each annual meeting should confirm the procedures to hand over the web contents between the APPF ongoing home page and the host-country’s web site.

The next item addressed was the Mexican draft resolution (DR) on Information Technologies and Communication (adopted as APPF 11/RES/13). Paragraph 4 of the DR relates to the APPF homepage website. It proposes that the APPF website be used as a base to implement information exchange. Malaysia noted that the website is already available for use as an information source and that it provides valuable links to member country parliamentary sites.

The working group noted the information provided about the Asia Pacific Telecommunity (APT) as a network of Asian and Pacific countries which supports technological information exchange. A list of APT members is attached. It was noted that the majority of APPF members are also members of the APT. Other APPF members are encouraged to join the APT.

The Technological Working Group appreciated the Malaysian Parliament Network Division’s provision of the host country’s website and the appropriate content.

The meeting resolved to present its report with the Mexican resolution on Information Technologies and Communications as an attachment.

The Technological Working Group appreciated the support of the annual meeting secretariat of the Malaysian Parliament.

ASIA-PACIFIC TELECOMMUNITY

The Asia-Pacific Telecommunity (APT) was established in May, 1979 as a Regional Telecommunication Organization by an Inter-governmental agreement. The APT Secretariat started functioning from 1st July 1979 in Bangkok, Thailand. The APT now has strength of 32 Members, 4 Associate Members and 95 Affiliate Members.

Members of APT

Member	Administration
Afghanistan	Ministry of Communications
Australia	Department of Communications, Information Technology & the Arts
Bangladesh	Bangladesh Telegraph and Telephone Board
Bhutan	Bhutan Telecommunications Authority
Brunei Darussalam	Ministry of Communications
China, P.R.	Ministry of Information Industry
Fiji	Ministry of Communications
India	Department of Telecommunications
Indonesia	Directorate General of Posts & Telecommunications
Iran, Islamic Rep.	Ministry of Posts, Telegraph & Telephone
Japan	Ministry of Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications
Korea, DPR	Ministry of Post and Telecommunications
Korea, Rep.	Ministry of Information & Communication
Lao, PDR	Department of Posts & Telecommunications
Malaysia	Ministry of Energy, Communications and Multimedia
Maldives	Ministry of Communication, Science & Technology
Micronesia	Department of Transportation, Communication, and Infrastructure
Mongolia	Ministry of Infrastructure
Myanmar	Ministry of Communications, Posts & Telegraphs
Nauru	Telecommunication Department
Nepal	Nepal Telecommunications Authority
New Zealand	Ministry of Economic Development
Pakistan	Pakistan Telecommunication Authority
Palau	Office of the Minister of State
Papua New Guinea	Papua New Guinea Telecomm Authority
Philippines	Department of Transportation and Communications
Samoa	Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Singapore	Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore
Sri Lanka	Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka
Thailand	Post & Telegraph Department
Tonga	Tonga Telecommunications Commission
Vietnam	Department General of Posts & Telecommunications