ASEM aims to narrow cultural devide<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Singapore\/Copenhagen<\/p>\n
Asian leaders are aiming to narrow a cultural divide and seek
\ngreater market access for their products at a summit with their
\nEuropean Union (EU) counterparts in Denmark next week.<\/p>\n
\"I think that Asia better understands Europe than Europe
\nunderstands Asia,\" Delfin Colome, head of the Asia-Europe
\nFoundation (ASEF), told AFP.<\/p>\n
Myanmar, a perennial thorn in relations between the EU and the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), is officially not
\non this year's agenda which is expected to be dominated by the
\nfight against terrorism, developments on the Korean Peninsula and
\ntrade and economic concerns.<\/p>\n
Malaysia and Indonesia are key Muslim nations in Southeast
\nAsia, a region said to be the second front in the global fight
\nagainst terrorism, while Muslim rebel groups in the Philippines
\nhave been linked to Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda terror network.<\/p>\n
Although Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad will be in
\nCopenhagen, the presidents of Indonesia and the Philippines,
\nMegawati Soekarnoputri and Gloria Arroyo are staying home, their
\noffices said.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is represented by Coordinating Minister for the
\nEconomy Dorodjatun Kuntjoro-Jakti, who is currently already in
\nCopenhagen.<\/p>\n
A Singapore-based diplomat said that with the U.S. still
\nbeating the drums of war against Iraq, despite Baghdad's decision
\nto readmit UN weapons inspectors, the Sept. 22-24 summit should
\nsend a \"political message\" opposing unilateralist tendencies by
\nWashington.<\/p>\n
On the summit sidelines, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro
\nKoizumi will brief South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung on his
\nrecent path-breaking visit to Stalinist North Korea and meetings
\nwith Pyongyang's reclusive leader Kim Jong-Il.<\/p>\n
The North Korean trip is \"a very important development in the
\nAsian political spectrum so Japan will explain what happened at
\nthe general meeting and listen to the opinions of other members,\"
\nKoizumi's deputy press secretary Misako Kaji said.<\/p>\n
Japan's Kyodo news said Koizumi would also propose an Asian-
\nEuropean meeting to discuss World Trade Organization issues next
\nspring in Japan.<\/p>\n
South Korea's Kim is to call for international help for peace
\non the Korean peninsula in an address to ASEM, his aides said.<\/p>\n
Chinese Prime Minister Zhu Rongji is also attending the ASEM
\nwhich covers the 15 EU members and 10 East Asian states -- China,
\nJapan and South Korea as well as ASEAN members Brunei, Indonesia,
\nMalaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra expects to raise the
\nThai-sponsored Asian Cooperation Dialogue (ACD), regional
\nsecurity, cooperation on terrorism and drugs and tariff barriers.<\/p>\n
The Philippines is expected push for lower EU tariffs on tuna
\nexports.<\/p>\n
Vietnamese Prime Minister Phan Van Khai will aim to strengthen
\nHanoi's ties with the EU on economics, trade and investment,
\nwhile Singapore has a proposal for a free trade agreement with
\nthe EU.<\/p>\n
World issues and domestic concerns aside, diplomats said the
\nEU and Asian leaders should use the biennial summit, launched in
\n1996 to bring the two continents closer together, to take stock
\nof their relations.<\/p>\n
\"I think this is the moment to make an inventory of what's
\nhappening in Asia-Europe ties. It's good to see how things are
\nevolving,\" said Colome from ASEF, a Singapore-based foundation
\nunder ASEM tasked with helping bridge the inter-continental gap
\nthrough cultural and intellectual activities.<\/p>\n
Colome said Europe's current view of Asia has been focussed
\nlargely on China and the market of 1.2 billion people it offers.<\/p>\n
\"In Europe, Asia continues to be something exotic. But I am
\nconfident that globalization is going to overcome this... When
\npeople lose this exotic character, dialogue becomes easier,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Danish Ambassador to Singapore Jorgen Ostrom Moller pointed to
\nAsia looking mainly towards the United States, its traditional
\nexport market, rather than Europe.<\/p>\n
In Copenhagen, trade and economy ministers from the 15-member
\nEuropean Union and 10 Asian countries gathered on Thursday to
\ndeepen and broaden economic ties between the two continents.<\/p>\n
\"It is my sincere hope that this meeting will contribute to
\nstrengthening cooperation and flows of trade and investments
\nbetween our regions,\" Danish European Affairs Minister Bertel
\nHaarder told delegates at the opening ceremony.<\/p>\n
Denmark currently holds the European Union's rotating
\npresidency and is hosting the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), which
\nis to cover political, economic and cultural developments.<\/p>\n
Thursday's talks were to focus on economic ties, and came
\nahead of a summit of heads of state and governments starting
\nMonday.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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