Asia "on the way up", says Ferrero-Waldner

Asia "on the way up", says Ferrero-Waldner

Deutsche Press Agentur, Vienna

Asia is "on the way up" after its difficulties of recent years, said Austrian Foreign Minister Benita Ferrero-Waldner said in an interview published on Thursday.

After the economic crisis of 1997, the world crisis of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S., the terrorism in Bali, and the SARS lung disease epidemic, the nations of the Far East were turning to Europe again, she told the newspaper Standard.

Ferrero-Waldner's interview was published during a week with meetings in Vienna with three Asian foreign ministers, Hassan Wirayuda of Indonesia, Surakiart Sathirathai of Thailand, and Tyronne Fernando of Sri Lanka.

"We're always talking about the European Union enlargement here, but overlook the dynamic development in Asia", she said.

Ferrero-Waldner pointed out that there was 7.7 percent economic growth in China, seven percent in Vietnam, 6.2 in South Korea, and five in Thailand last year. Those were figures only equaled, if at all, by East European candidate-nations for EU membership.

Ferrero-Waldner drew parallels between European integration and the quickly-growing linkages among the Asian states. "They're following the model of the European Union, or at least the former European Economic Community", she said.

During Surakiart's visit, Ferrero-Waldner described Austria and Thailand as "gateways for economies and investment in Europe and Asia".

Thailand, and other large nations such as Indonesia, would profit from Austrian access to East Europe, she said. She also spoke of Austria's economic interests in Asia, for instance a 37 percent increase last year in exports to China, and the Austrian Siemens' manufacture of subway trains for Thailand's capital Bangkok.

"Asia is big on our map", Ferrero-Waldner commented.