ASIAN AFFAIRS ON ASEM

Jacques Chirac - President of France

The third ASEM which meets in Seoul on 20 and 21 October marks an important milestone in relations between Europe and Asia. It will be one of the high points and one of the priorities of the French Presidency of the European Union.

The Seoul Summit takes place in a context which is appreciably different in many ways from that of the Bangkok Summit (1996), which had the honour of being the first of the series, and the London Summit (1998), clouded by the Asian crisis and a certain scepticism as to the forum’s ability to solve the problems then posed. Over the last few years, both regions have experienced important political, economic and social changes. The Seoul Summit signals a coming-of-age and a fresh start.

Asia is in a state of flux. China has opted for the WTO. Indonesia has embarked on a major transformation. Other countries, such as Korea and Thailand, have enhanced their democratic credentials. Just as remarkably, these countries, on the economic plane, have simultaneously stood by their commitment to a market economy and implemented major structural reforms. Resumed growth and renewed confidence in many of these countries are the reward for these efforts.

For us in Europe it is important to reinforce the factors for stability, be they political, economic or social, in this region of the world. This applies to the European Union’s backing for the process of reconciliation under way on the Korean Peninsula. The process is beginning to show results, as may be seen from the success of last June’s Inter-Korean Summit in Pyongyang.

In the meantime, the European Union has also witnessed important developments. The arrival of the euro is a momentous event whose consequences for international monetary equilibrium and economic and financial exchanges between Europe and Asia have only begun to be measured. The strengthening of the common foreign and security policy, like the establishment of a European defence, adds a new dimension to the dialogue between our two continents.

Certain partners may have worried that Europe, engrossed in pursuing its own construction, might neglect more distant countries. The opposite is true – the build-up of the European Union enriches the relation between it and its principal partners. The trend is illustrated by the number of meetings between Europe and Asia that have been or will be held under the French Presidency. They include summits with Japan and with China, Ministerial meetings between the EU and Korea, a meeting with ASEAN in Vientiane next December and, of course, ASEM III. Asia is regarded by Europe as a major partner. The Europeans provided clear proof of this during the Asian crisis. They helped to alleviate its impact by their aid contributed through the multilateral institutions and the ad hoc fund set up within ASEM. Another example was the support they provided, along with the Asian countries, for establishing the United Nations transitory administration for East Timor which should lay the foundations for an independent Timorese state.

On a more general plane, new challenges have arisen or gathered strength which neither Europeans nor Asians can meet on their own, such as environmental degradation, health, organized crime or the ill-controlled effects of globalization. The rapid development of information technologies opens up extraordinary prospects, especially in terms of growth, but it also poses important problems. One of these is to narrow a “digital gap” which, if it persists, would aggravate social inequalities. Korea, the ASEM host, has already drafted some very interesting proposals on the subject.

On a number of these topics ASEM has a contribution to make and a useful role to play in promoting a cooperative and controlled multipolar approach. This will require fostering a dialogue which strikes a balance among the different aspects – political, economic and cooperational – of ASEM.

Since the Bangkok Summit a multi-pronged political dialogue allowing opinions and experiences to be shared has been cultivated. The issue of human rights has found a place in the discussions with the holding of informal seminars. The latest of these, co-chaired by France and China, was held last June in Paris. It enabled such topics as freedom of speech and the right to information or humanitarian action and national sovereignty to be aired. These examples show that supposedly awkward subjects can be talked about when there is mutual trust and respect. This should be even more true of such common interests as security, governance and global issues. Dialogue should lead to practical action.

The economic and financial crisis in Asia and the ensuing adjustments have clearly shown the value of increased dialogue between the two regions. Regular meetings are held at Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance level as well as among businessmen and experts. The meeting of Treasury Directors on 14 September in Paris forms part of these exchanges of views between the two regions on matters of particular importance for their development and stability.

In the field of trade, a number of initiatives have been launched to facilitate trade and promote investment. These voluntary measures should comply with clear, transparent and non-discriminatory multilateral rules guaranteed by the WTO. We must continue in the direction of a stronger multilateral trading system capable of controlling globalization for the benefit of all.

The end of the crisis in Asia enables us to contemplate the future with confidence. It invites us to consolidate the Euro-Asia relation by choosing a style of cooperation that will endure through time. The Asia-Europe Foundation is playing its part in this respect by organizing over fifty projects in twenty different countries. France will for its part propose in conjunction with Korea a bold initiative in the field of education, which will make possible a substantial increase in student exchanges and exchanges among the universities of Asia and Europe.

The ASEM dialogue is still young. It is destined to develop and embody the aspirations of the civil society of the ASEM countries. Asia and Europe, with their rich endowment of history and culture, the strength derived from their peoples’ talents, and their respective influence and dynamism, will have the opportunity at the Seoul Summit for reasserting their partnership. In doing so, they will contribute to peace, stability and prosperity at the dawn of this new century.