Single goal can unite two different worlds<\/p>\n
Hardev Kaur
\nNew Strait Times
\nKuala Lumpur<\/p>\n
Two continents -- Asia and Europe -- account for 40 percent of
\nthe world's population, 50 percent of the world's GDP, and 60
\npercent of world trade. Thus when the 39 members of the ASEM --
\nfrom Asia and Europe -- \"speak with one voice\" they are
\n\"extremely powerful\".<\/p>\n
Therefore, countries in Asia and Europe have been urged to
\nstrengthen multilateralism in dealing with challenges posed by
\nweapons of mass destruction, terrorism, environment, energy as
\nwell as poverty and infectious diseases.<\/p>\n
Foreign Ministers of ASEM meeting in Kyoto last week stressed
\nthe need to deal with \"global challenges and cross-border issues\"
\nthrough multilateralism.<\/p>\n
This also means an understanding of the different cultures,
\nboth at the regional and international level, especially in the
\npost Sept. 11, 2003 period.<\/p>\n
To foster a better understanding and appreciation of the
\ndifferences and, indeed, the similarities, Indonesia will host a
\ndialogue on \"Deepening of Asia-Europe Dialogue on Global
\nChallenges\".<\/p>\n
The dialogue, to be held in Bali in July, could not be better
\ntimed. Despite the world getting increasingly smaller, thanks to
\ntechnology and improved communications, there is still a very
\nwide perception and knowledge gap between the various cultures
\nand civilizations.<\/p>\n
This gap, and the consequent mistrust, between the different
\ncultures and civilizations must be addressed and bridged in an
\nopen and honest manner. The fact that we live in an increasingly
\nglobalised world lends urgency to this task.<\/p>\n
The financial crisis of 1997-1998 showed how quickly
\ncontagion, of whatever hue, can spread from one country to the
\nnext. The bird flu and the SARS outbreak spread rapidly across
\noceans and proved how small the world has become.<\/p>\n
Then came the Asian tsunami, which had such an instant and
\nfar- reaching impact that it moved people from all over the world
\nto rush in with aid for the victims in Indonesia, Thailand and
\nSri Lanka.<\/p>\n
Despite all this, however, there is still a gap in
\nunderstanding and perceptions between the different cultures.<\/p>\n
This is perhaps best illustrated by a Polish journalist,
\nWalensa (not his real name), when he asked \"Are you afraid of an
\nemerging China?\"<\/p>\n
\"No,\" replied a journalist from a Southeast Asian country.<\/p>\n
\"Why not?\" asked Walensa, looking puzzled. \"The Americans are
\n(afraid),\" he added.<\/p>\n
He was also perplexed why Malaysians were not afraid of the
\nmany Chinese in their midst. \"Will not the Chinese in Malaysia
\nshift their allegiance to the Middle Kingdom once China emerges
\nas a major power and create problems for Malaysian authorities?\"
\nhe asked. When told \"No\", he was even more confused as his theory
\nof chaos and unrest caused by the emergence of China had just
\nbeen thrown out of the window.<\/p>\n
The Southeast Asian journalist told Walensa that perhaps the
\nAmericans and Europeans do not understand the Chinese and Asians
\nas well as they like to think they do.<\/p>\n
The obsession of the West with a rising China is
\nunderstandable. They see it as a threat to their own supremacy on
\nthe world stage.<\/p>\n
Obviously, Europeans and Asians look at the same issue through
\ndifferent prisms. These differences are well explained by
\nMahbubani in his book.<\/p>\n
Michael Reiterer, an Austrian diplomat based in Brussels who
\nheaded the ASEM desk of the European Commission, asks: \"Asia-
\nEurope: Do They Meet?\"<\/p>\n
Rudyard Kipling had declared that \"East is East, and West is
\nWest, and never the twain shall meet\".<\/p>\n
When these questions are asked, some notice only the
\ndifferences while others see opportunities.<\/p>\n
The ASEM foreign ministers meeting in Kyoto were upbeat about
\nthe future of their two regions. They noted that the close
\ncooperation and rapport enabled them to discuss issues, no matter
\nhow contentious, in a frank and friendly atmosphere.<\/p>\n
Undoubtedly, the international community faces challenges that
\nneed to be tackled through global cooperation.<\/p>\n
In doing so, it is equally important to understand each
\nother's culture and approach to issues.<\/p>\n
In this context, the ASEM Foreign Ministers confirmed their
\ncommitment to multilateralism and to a fair, just and rule-based
\ninternational order with the United Nations playing the central
\nrole to effectively address new global challenges and threats.<\/p>\n
Mindful of the rapid changes taking place and the challenges
\nthese pose, the ministers are committed to revitalizing the ASEM
\nprocess and strengthening multilateralism.<\/p>\n
They were also mindful of the need for sustainable development
\nin the integration process of the two regions.<\/p>\n
Even though Europe has had a head start over Asia in
\nintegration, there is still no real, single \"European identity\".<\/p>\n
This prompted Henry Kissinger, former United States Secretary
\nof State, to ask whether anyone could give him the telephone
\nnumber for Europe. No one could do so some 25 years ago. There
\nstill is no telephone number.<\/p>\n
Similarly, there is yet to be a single telephone number for
\nAsia. But this lack of a single telephone number each for Europe
\nand Asia does not stop them from working together.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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