Brussels / Bangkok, 26/07/2000 (Agence Europe) - The presence of North Korean Foreign Minister Peak Nam-Sun, should mark the "post-ministerial" meetings organised by the Asean countries with their international partners, including the EU, the United States and China. The European Commissioner for external relations, Chris Patten is to meet the North Korean Minister on Thursday and assure him of European support for the rapprochement of the two Koreas. Friday, the European Troika and Commissioner Patten will also meet the South Korean Foreign Minister.
As early as Wednesday evening, the European Troika, comprising the French Minister for Cooperation, Charles Josselin, Commissioner Chris Patten, and the High Representative for Cfsp, Javier Solana, were to take part in the "Asian Regional Forum" dinner, bringing together the Asean countries and ten partners (Australia, Canada, EU, United States, Jpan, South Korea, New Zealand, Russia, China and India). Regional tensions in Indonesia, the dialogue between the two Koreas and Burma were on the menu for discussions. The Asian Regional Forum (ARF) continues on Thursday with an "open discussion" on "regional security", the impact of globalisation on Asia and the future of the ARF. On that occasion, the European Union should be suggesting a more targeted agenda, says a Community source.
Friday, the EU representatives will take part in the "post-ministerial conference", again bringing together the ten countries of Asean and their ten partners, around issues this time outside the framework of regional security in Asia. The European Union should place emphasis on the launch of a new round of WTO negotiations before the end of the year. Asean should, among other things, broach the questions of the fight against trafficking in human beings and drug trafficking. At their 33rd ministerial meeting, held earlier this week, the Asean countries set as common purpose to become a "drug-free zone" in 2015.
Several bilateral meetings are scheduled on the fringe of the Asean meeting. European representatives were to meet American Secretary of State, Madelein Albright on Wednesday. Thursday, the European Troika (with Commissioner Patten) will begin the day with a meeting with Thailand, which assumes the role of coordinator with the EU for Asean, and with Laos, which will take over in August. They will prepare the EU/Asean ministerial meeting to be held in the autumn, probably in Laos. Friday, the acts of accession of Laos and Cambodia to the EU/Asean Agreement will be officially signed. A session of the EU/Australia political dialogue will be held on the fringe of the meeting, also on Friday. Finally, according to the Asian tradition, ministers have been invited to present a spectacle at the closing dinner. Chris Patten intends to use an Abba song to wax ironical over the G8.