Asian ministers prepare Asia-Europe summit<\/p>\n
By Philip McClellan<\/p>\n
BANGKOK (AFP): Asian economic ministers are to meet in
\nThailand this week to prepare for next month's Asia-Europe summit
\nwhich will touch on political and security issues, but be mainly
\neconomic in focus.<\/p>\n
Asian officials have been keen to stress the economic aspects
\nof the summit, to take place March 1-2 in Bangkok, and to keep
\naway from contentious areas such as human rights that the
\nEuropeans have been eager to discuss.<\/p>\n
The two-day economic ministers' meeting, which opens in the
\nnorthern city of Chiang Rai tomorrow, comes two weeks after
\nforeign ministers from 10 East Asian countries met in the
\nsouthern Thai resort of Phuket.<\/p>\n
Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas said then that trade,
\nthe transfer of technology and enhancing investment would be the
\nmain focus of the summit, not what he called \"irrelevant issues\"
\nsuch as human rights.<\/p>\n
Europe stands to gain from tapping into the booming economies
\nof East Asia, while the Asians have been eager to expand their
\nmarket for a growing number of consumer and industrial goods.<\/p>\n
The value of trade between Asia and Europe remains relatively
\nlow, totaling US$238 billion in 1994, about the same level of
\ntrade between the United States and Europe in the same period.<\/p>\n
Analysts here note the trade benefits enjoyed by the United
\nStates with regard to Asia as a result of membership in the Asia-
\nPacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, and say Europe would
\nlike a similar arrangement.<\/p>\n
But while boosting trade and investment will be the aim for
\nboth sides, many officials warn against expecting too much from
\nthe unprecedented summit.<\/p>\n
\"There are so many countries and just two days for discussing
\nthe issues, so I don't think we will do much more than stress
\ncloser cooperation between the two sides,\" a senior Thai official
\nsaid recently.<\/p>\n
Other officials said contentious issues such as alleged
\ndumping of Asian products in Europe and copyright violations are
\nlikely to take a backseat given the limited timeframe and number
\nof participants at the summit.<\/p>\n
\"The leaders are likely to discuss constructive macro-economic
\nmatters rather than focus on arguments about small issues like
\nanti-dumping,\" Krik-krai Jirapaet, director of Thailand's
\nBusiness Economics Department, told reporters.<\/p>\n
Asian countries have been accused of dumping goods on the
\nEuropean market, but in turn say Europe's internal regulations on
\ntrade lack transparency.<\/p>\n
China has complained that the European Union's
\n\"discriminatory\" trade policy, specifically several EU anti-
\ndumping measures, had caused \"big losses\" for Chinese exporters
\nand called for an end to the practice.<\/p>\n
Ryuta Mizuchi, director of the economic division at the
\nJapanese embassy in Bangkok, said one specific topic likely to
\ncrop up at the summit would be the finalization of the terms of
\nthe World Trade Organization (WTO).<\/p>\n
The time-frames on the three outstanding sectors of the world
\nfree trade pact -- agriculture, financial services and
\ntelecommunications -- all lapse later this year.<\/p>\n
Many Asian countries have been accused by the Europeans of
\ndragging their feet on the liberalization of their agricultural
\nsectors, traditionally the backbone of most economies in Asia.<\/p>\n
Another issue which could cause tensions ahead of the summit
\nis a new EU trade policy due to be unveiled today, which will
\ninclude a call for the WTO to examine the relationship between
\ntrade and social standards.<\/p>\n
Asian countries, many of which have tightly controlled labor
\nunions and used child labor in their drive for economic growth,
\nhave criticized similar attempts as western meddling in their
\ninternal social affairs.<\/p>\n
The meeting in Chiang Rai will be attended by representatives
\nfrom Brunei, China, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines,
\nSingapore, South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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