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.