Asia and Europe rediscover each other at ASEM
Asia and Europe rediscover each other at ASEM
By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat
BANGKOK (JP): Asia and Europe began a process of rediscovering
one another yesterday as 25 leaders from the two regions gathered
for a historic two-day summit.
"We are assembled here with one common purpose. To create a
dynamic new linkage and form a new partnership," Thai Prime
Minister Banharn Silpa-Archa said as he opened the Asia-Europe
Meeting.
For some time the two sides have been too busy with their
respective priorities to maintain close contacts, he said. But
this "rediscovery" will help forge a meaningful partnership for
the future, he added.
The summit is being held at the Queen Sirikit National
Convention Center and attended by leaders from the European
Union, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations along with
China, Japan and South Korea.
President Soeharto was among the 25 leaders, though he did not
make a speech. He was seated at the same table with Banharn,
European Commission President Jacques Santer and Italian Prime
Minister Lamberto Dini.
There was little fanfare at the opening ceremony, which was
held under extremely tight security.
Dini, who spoke on behalf of the European side, said in his
opening address that international problems can only be
controlled if there is a high level of cooperation.
He expressed his hope that the Bangkok summit would mark the
initial steps to correlating perceptions, which he called a
prerequisite for collaboration.
"So far the dialog between Europe and Asia has fallen short of
what we could have achieved together. Our relations have fallen
behind and the time has come to make up the lost ground," Dini
said.
"Today's meeting must first and foremost prepare the ground
for a deeper understanding of the problems of the two areas," he
added, describing the summit as a high profile instrument for the
construction of a new Asia-Europe relationship.
Santer in his address pointed out some of the major points the
leaders have to cooperate on to jointly shape the future.
The first is to ensure the smooth functioning of the
multilateral trading system.
Second is the intensification of science and technological
cooperation along with efforts to create a global information
society.
Santer then stressed the need to work on environmental
conservation by developing policies to sustain the planet's
resources.
He then went on to note the importance of poverty alleviation
and access to health and education.
"European and Asian participants should join as partners to
help the less developed countries in Asia and the least favored
groups in society to share in the increasing prosperity of the
region as a whole," Santer said.
He added that a meaningful cultural dialog must also be
developed to help the people of the two regions better understand
and respect each other and their cultures.