EU en ASEAN op weg naar meer samenwerking (en)
The joint declaration highlights that “taking into account Asia's resilience during the current crisis”, this region could be a major contributor to global economic growth in the coming years, and for this “boosting domestic demand would be important”.
Ministers and high representatives of the European Union and the Association of South-east Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries met this Wednesday, on the thirtieth anniversary of the first cooperation agreement between the two regions, to take stock and to set ambitious goals for the future.
The Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miguel Ángel Moratinos, stressed, in a press conference following the “very intense day of work”, that both regions are “keen for more cooperation” and to widen, economically and politically, a relation “that already has a long history”.
The ministers and high representatives of the 27 countries of the EU and the 10 ASEAN countries present their goals in a joint declaration, in which, according to the secretary general of Asean, Surin Pitsuwan, an agreement is reached to advance towards greater economic integration, but also towards an intensification of dialogue, cooperation and political consultation.
The Secretary General recalled the importance of the economic relations between the two blocks. The EU is currently the second commercial partner of the Asean countries, and the first direct investor. South-East Asia “represents opportunity and potential, it is the new centre of growth in the world”, stated Pitsuwan.
The joint declaration highlights that “taking into account Asia's resilience during the current crisis”, this region could be a major contributor to global economic growth in the coming years, and for this “boosting domestic demand would be important”.
According to Moratinos, the meeting has also been an opportunity to deal with political questions such as the role of the EU in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the situation in the Near East or in Iran and, in particular, the situation in Burma, where the EU will “send an exploratory mission” to aid the democratisation of the country.
On this question, the Spanish minister said, “we have had a very sincere and constructive debate that shows the willingness of both parties to continue their efforts”. The secretary general of Asean expressed the desire that the general elections scheduled this year in Burma would be “the beginning of an internal reconciliation process” and that an “interaction with the international community would come into its own”.
According to Moratinos, the ministers also covered “the great international challenges, terrorism, energy and maritime safety, in which ASEAN and the EU share challenges, and they have insisted on being better coordinated at the Cancun conference on climate change so that it can be a success”.
Moratinos co-chaired the meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade of Brunei, Prince Mohamed Bolkiah; the chief of European diplomacy, Catherine Asthon, the other co-chair, will join for dinner.
During this dinner, discussions will take place on the incident with the South Korean corvette Cheonan -sunk by a North Korean torpedo in March, causing the death of its 46 crew members- and the tension it created. It is something that the EU and Asean “firmly” condemn as it is considered “unacceptable and of great seriousness”, said Moratinos.
According to his declaration, the ministers urge North Korea to comply with UN resolutions, they remind this country that it cannot be a nuclear state and express preoccupation for the tension caused by the sinking of the Cheonan.