EU has become important market for ASEAN products

EU has become important market for ASEAN products

Hassan Wirajuda, Jakarta

On behalf of my ASEAN Colleagues, let me begin by extending
our warmest welcome to the European Union Delegation to the 15th
ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting.

This is the first time that our meeting is convened in the
format of an open-ended troika. We agreed to have this format
during our last meeting in Brussels, because we wanted to ensure
a sufficient level of participation in our meetings. Today, the
troika from both sides are present and other member countries
from both sides are well represented. This reflects greater
interests to our partnership. And we highly appreciate it.

Let me also take this opportunity to express our appreciation
and thanks to all the European Union member states for quickly
responding to the unprecedented catastrophe due to an earthquake
and tsunami that devastated whole populations in our part of the
world last Dec. 26. As the most severely affected nation in that
tragedy, we in Indonesia are particularly grateful for the
outpouring of help and solicitude that we received from all over
the world, including our friends from the European Union.

During my special mission to four countries of the European
Union in early January, I particularly cherished the embracing
arms and goodwill extended by both the governments and the
peoples of those countries. Most importantly, it didn't stop at
sympathy, solidarity and goodwill; as they have quickly begun to
translate into concrete assistance and cooperation. And we highly
appreciate it.

For more than 30 years, the European Union has been a valuable
partner and has played an important role in many of ASEAN's
undertakings. It is therefore our wish in ASEAN not only that
this dialogue be sustained in a spirit of openness and
partnership, but also that it expand and deepen in all fields of
cooperation.

Since we met two years ago in Brussels in 2003, many
developments have taken place in both the EU and ASEAN.

On the ASEAN side, we have committed ourselves to a process of
integration leading to the realization of an open, dynamic and
resilient ASEAN Community by 2020 as envisioned in the
Declaration of ASEAN Concord II. In pursuing this common vision,
we have formulated three Plans of Action respectively for the
ASEAN Security Community, the ASEAN Economic Community, and the
ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community. Moreover, we have also adopted
the Vientiane Action Programme; the roadmap that would unify and
cross-link our strategies toward the achievement of ASEAN Vision
2020.

On the other hand, the EU attained a historic watershed with
the entry of ten new members and the signing of a New
Constitution that consolidates the many treaties and agreements
on which the EU is based. It has also bolstered its relations
with ASEAN by adopting the New Communication: A New Partnership
with Southeast Asia.

Considering these major developments, I am of the firm belief
that new priorities for cooperation between EU and ASEAN could be
considered on the basis of the Declaration of ASEAN Concord II
and its three Plans of Action, the Vientiane Action Programme,
and the New Communication.

In the field of political cooperation, the EU's participation
in the ASEAN Regional Forum has ensured its strong engagement
with the Asia-Pacific region for the maintenance of peace and
stability. Thus, we have agreed to implement the Joint
Declaration on Cooperation to Combat Terrorism that was issued in
Brussels in January 2003. I am sure that such cooperation will
contribute greatly to the realization of the work programme for
the ASEAN Plan of Action to Combat Transnational Crime, including
Terrorism.

As to our economic relations, I am pleased to note that the EU
has become one of the important markets for ASEAN products. Our
trade with EU now represents 11.5 percent of ASEAN total trade,
so that EU is now outranked only by the United States and Japan
as an ASEAN trading partner. Meanwhile, the EU contributed 35
percent of total foreign direct investment in ASEAN for the year
2003.

I can therefore confidently affirm that the long standing
relations and cooperation between EU and ASEAN have contributed
to the political, social, and economic development of ASEAN
member countries. They have also helped sustain peace, stability
and prosperity not only in Southeast Asia but also in the Asia-
Pacific region. These encouraging developments in our cooperation
indicate bright possibilities for even greater achievements in
the future.

I hope that our meeting today will be fruitful, so that we can
further enlarge and deepen our relations and cooperation.

The article was an opening remarks by Minister for Foreign
Affairs Hassan Wirajuda at the 15 th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting
in Jakarta on Thursday.