Identity sought after Bangkok
Identity sought after Bangkok
By Riyadi
BANGKOK (JP): The inaugural Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), which concluded here over the weekend, will forge its own identity based on existing mechanisms, says Jusuf Wanandi of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
Jusuf Wanandi, an analyst with the Jakarta-based think tank, said the meeting will not copy the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum and its sprawling infrastructure.
"There is no way of institutionalizing it in the near future. There will be only some forms of cooperation on relevant sectors such as cooperation in trade and investment," Jusuf told The Jakarta Post here Saturday.
Instead of establishing supporting institutions, ASEM will work with existing bodies such as the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
Unlike the APEC countries, he said, there is little dependency between Asia and Europe in terms of economic, politics and security matters.
The APEC process evolved from ministerial meetings to informal summits of leaders. The Asia-Europe meeting started with a summit, and will be followed by ministerial meetings.
"It is true that ASEM needs small institutions to support its operations, but not like APEC, which is already comprehensive in its trade liberalization process with its definite deadline," Jusuf said.
APEC set deadlines for trade and investment liberalization in the region by 2010 for developed members and 2020 for developing economies when its leaders gathered in 1994 in Bogor, Indonesia.
Jusuf said Asia and Europe should not establish a deadline for liberalizing trade and investment because they are totally different regions and would be better served under the WTO framework.
The Asian and European countries at the ASEM should prepare a multilateral investment code under the WTO and not a non-binding investment code as in APEC.
Jusuf said, however, that several of the developed countries at the meeting have already discussed establishing a multilateral treaty on investment.
He suggested that Indonesia and other developing countries look at what is being drafted by the advanced countries and give input on behalf of the developing countries.
As with APEC, Asia-Europe meeting participants made decisions by consensus in an informal, flexible and pragmatic manner.
Jusuf said that the European leaders have accepted the approach after learning from the European Union, which has become a massive bureaucratic institution.
The informality of the recently concluded meeting in Bangkok made it possible for some leaders to discuss contentious issues such as human rights.
"Meetings on irrelevant issues served as colorful side-shows. And bringing such irrelevant issues to informal bilateral meetings has turned out to be fruitful," Jusuf said.
He added that the summit helped make it possible for Chinese Prime Minister Li Peng to meet with British Prime Minister John Major to discuss the future of Hong Kong.
It facilitated discussion between Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and South Korean President Kim Young-sam on the disputed islands of Diaoyutai (or Senkaku, as it is known in Japan). Indonesia's President Soeharto also had the opportunity to speak with Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio Guterres about East Timor.
"Without such an informal meeting, it is almost impossible for them to meet," Jusuf said. "These sideshows are very rewarding because they have helped solve some complicated and sensitive matters."
Indonesia, he reminded, cannot always avoid talking about human rights issues because it is a party to a number of UN conventions, including the one on human rights.
"So, what we can expect from ASEM is that it will improve (human rights) condition in each member country without hurting them," Jusuf said.
For now, he continued, Asian countries have achieved their main goal of getting the attention of European countries.
Asia has gained the confidence of Europe by operating on the basis of mutual respect, equality, non-intervention in internal affairs and in accordance with international law.
Asia has also put the focus on economics and a better trade flow, the primary reasons for holding the meeting.
"Even though we didn't neglect social and political matters, we have to admit that economy has been the prime common interest of both Asia and Europe," Jusuf said.
Europe has a vital interest in Asia's economic dynamism, while Asia is keen to avail itself of Europe's experience and expertise.
"The results of the summit is a full plate. There are a lot of things Asian and European countries can now do together," Jusuf said.
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