ASEAN and the EU: 25 years of partnership for peace<\/p>\n
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Jakarta<\/p>\n
This week the EU is celebrating the 25th Anniversary of our
\nCo-operation Agreement signed with Indonesia, Malaysia,
\nPhilippines, Singapore, and Thailand. Since 1980, Southeast Asia
\nhas undergone profound and positive transformation. Poverty has
\nbeen reduced at an unprecedented pace, economies enjoy impressive
\ngrowth rates, and democracy is gaining ground. Similarly, the
\nEuropean Union has also undergone important changes and while
\nASEAN has expanded to include Brunei, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and
\nVietnam, the EU has undertaken its own Enlargement, growing to 25
\ncountries. We have also adopted the world's first ever single
\ncurrency and emerged as a political entity on the world scene.<\/p>\n
It is hardly surprising that the EU and ASEAN have developed
\nsuch a warm and deep relationship: We share many common traits --
\nparticularly our linguistic and cultural diversity. Like the EU,
\nASEAN has economic weight, and is playing an increasingly
\nimportant role on the international stage. Our two regional
\norganizations share the goal of ensuring peace and stability.<\/p>\n
The EU is ASEAN's second largest export market and the third
\nlargest trading partner after the United States and Japan. We
\nwant to harness further trading opportunities and build growth
\nand prosperity to the mutual benefit of both regions which is why
\nmy colleague, Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson, helped
\nestablish an EU-ASEAN "vision group" in the spring of this year,
\nto explore the potential for a Free Trade Agreement between the
\nEU and ASEAN. Pending this group's conclusions, we will decide on
\nhow to take this very important initiative forward in early 2006.<\/p>\n
However, our relationship is not simply a political or
\neconomic arrangement: It has an important human dimension. Last
\nyear's tragic Tsunami served to demonstrate an instinctive
\nfeeling of solidarity between our peoples. In the aftermath of
\nthis catastrophe, we co operated effectively to bring
\nhumanitarian aid where it was needed, with the first help already
\non its way from Europe just hours after the Tsunami struck. We
\ncontinue to work together to reconstruct the devastated areas. So
\nfar the EU has promised 1.5 billion euro for rehabilitation and
\nreconstruction and the money is being made available very
\nrapidly.<\/p>\n
In the conflict torn region of Aceh, the increase in national
\nsolidarity after the Tsunami, opened a window of opportunity for
\npeace. The EU helped provide funding and support for President
\nAhtisaari's mediation between the Free Aceh Movement (GAM) and
\nthe Government of Indonesia. Immediately after the signature of
\nthe peace agreement, an unprecedented joint mission between EU
\nMember States and ASEAN was launched to monitor the peace. This
\nmission is supported by a number of assistance programs
\ncontributed by the European Commission, including support for the
\nreintegration of GAM combatants. Altogether, this package is
\nproving to be a remarkable success.<\/p>\n
The joint EU-ASEAN Monitoring Mission has shown that Europe
\nand Southeast Asia can successfully cooperate in building peace
\neven in the most sensitive of circumstances. It shows how much
\nscope there is to broaden our co operation in the future.<\/p>\n
From human rights to climate change, the environment, human
\ntrafficking, and the trade in illegal drugs -- there is a great
\ndeal more we can do together.<\/p>\n
Naturally the EU supports ASEAN's efforts towards greater
\nregional cooperation. The European case demonstrates that greater
\nintegration is the best guarantee of stability and prosperity. We
\nawait with keen interest the outcome of the next ASEAN summit in
\nKuala Lumpur and especially the announcement of an ASEAN Charter
\nreinforcing its common institutions and decision making process.
\nWe applaud these steps forward and as always stand ready to share
\nour own experience with ASEAN in the field of integration.<\/p>\n
In today's globalised world there is untold value in deepening
\nlinks no matter how far geographically we may lie apart. What
\nbetter way to celebrate our 25th anniversary this week than to
\nreflect on how much "closer" we have become through working
\ntogether politically, economically and socially, and at the same
\ntime look forward to an even stronger partnership in the years to
\ncome.<\/p>\n
The writer is European Commissioner for External Relations and
\nEuropean Neighborhood Policy.<\/p>",
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