Bangkok summit finds synergy
Bangkok summit finds synergy
By Riyadi and Meidyatama Suryodiningrat
BANGKOK (JP): Leaders from 25 Asian and European countries began their historic summit yesterday finding that differences remain between the two continents but that there was great potential for synergy on many issues.
On the first day of their two-day summit, the leaders reviewed economics, politics and also more controversial areas, including the widely-debated issue of the World Trade Organization.
Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas told Indonesian journalists after the first day's session that the leaders realized that there were matters on which they have divergent views.
"But I don't see it as necessarily negative. Even in trade and other economic cooperation matters there are certain issues on which we do not fully see on eye to eye," Alatas said.
"It is a good thing to talk about these subjects on which we hold divergent opinions."
He noted that there is a tremendous potential for synergy and mutually beneficial cooperation between the two regions, particularly in the economic field.
The summit, which was opened by Thai Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa in the morning, is aimed at forging a new partnership for better economic prosperity between the two continents.
Fifteen members of the European Union are represented at the meeting: They are Austrian Chancellor Franz Vranitzky, Belgian Prime Minister Jean-Luc Dehaene, British Prime Minister John Major, Finish Prime Minister Tapio Lipponen, French President Jacques Chirac, Danish Foreign Minister Niels Helveg Petersen; German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, Greek Deputy Foreign Minister George Romeos; Irish Prime Minister John Bruton, Italian Prime Minister Lamberto Dini, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, Dutch Prime Minister Wim Kok and Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres, Spanish Foreign Minister Carlos Westendorp and Swedish Foreign Minister Lena Hjelm-Wallen.
The 10 Asian leaders taking part are Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, Chinese Premier Li Peng, Indonesia's President Soeharto, Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, South Korean President Kim Young-sam, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad, Philippine President Fidel Ramos, Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong, Thai Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-Archa and Vietnamese Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet.
Also attending is the European Commission President Jacques Santer.
Alatas stressed that the inaugural summit is informal in nature and follows a pattern which has proven to be successful in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
"It is our experience with ASEAN and APEC, and when we are less formal, there is a kind of chemistry between these leaders and usually they produce very good results," Alatas said.
In trade, the leaders discussed measures to open up each other's market by further bringing down both tariff and non- tariff barriers, within the framework of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
In investment, most leaders supported Thailand's proposal on establishing an Asia-Europe investment action plan to promote investment between the two regions.
Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres said one of the highly debated issues was on the important WTO meeting to be held later this year in Singapore.
He said that it was important to discuss and establish not only free trade but also fair trade.
"In Singapore we should not only discuss trade, investment and technology, but also conditions on fair trade related to the environment and to human and social rights," he told reporters.
The Vice-President of European Commission Leon Brittan, who is also responsible for trade, said among the important points was the discussion of unfinished matters left over from the Uruguay Round talks on free trade such as tackling the telecommunications sector.
On politics, Europe expressed interest in helping secure peace in Asia, and on the other side Asia is also interested in helping with the peace and stabilization in former Yugoslavia.
As their leaders were meeting, economic and foreign ministers from Asia and Europe also met quite informally yesterday and will hold another meeting this morning.
Later today the leaders will hold another discussion after which they will be joined by their ministers in a wrap-up session.
Prime Minister Banharn Silpa-archa will issue a final statement as chairman of the meeting at the closing ceremony.
West -- Page 4
Investment -- Page 9
Asia -- Page 11