Seoul, 23/10/2000 (Agence Europe) - The third ASEM Summit bringing together the Heads of State of the 15 European and 10 Asian countries and the president of the European Commission, came to an end on Saturday with the adoption of a twenty-page final declaration and an "action framework" for the next ten years, after the adoption of a declaration in support of the rapprochement between the two Koreas (see EUROPE of 21 October, pp.3/4). Described in the declarations as a "historic stage", the Seoul Summit marked a return to "optimism" and economic recovery among its members. "After the London Summit, right in the middle of the Asian crisis, the Seoul Summit was presented in quite a new light", affirmed the French President and President of the European Council, Jacques Chirac, speaking to the press. "The formal determination to know each other has changed into determination to act", he said.
During the political debate, the question of human rights was tackled for the first time in a way that was not "over dramatic", noted Romano Prod's spokesperson, Jonathan Faull. "Even though the text of the final declaration on human rights is not what we had hoped for, this normally difficult subject was covered", said one diplomat. The political and security dimension was also developed. Participation of the civil society in the dialogue was discussed, on Thursday, when the NGOs met the senior officials responsible for preparing the work, but there is no consensus at present to formally welcome the NGOs", remarked the Korean Deputy Minister for Foreign Affairs, Choi Young-Jin.
The political debate, which focused mainly on the Korean issue, also allowed stock to be taken of the situation in Timor, in Yugoslavia and in the Middle East, with the ASEM Summit mainly calling on Israelis and Palestinians to respect the new Sharm El Sheikh agreement.
At economic level, both parties gave their support to the launching of a new negotiation round at the WTO as soon as possible, while fixing a date for acting to offset the effects of globalisation, mainly by combating organised crime. The social question is, however, only evoked in the conclusions, despite the 10,000 anti-globalisation demonstrators, who tried, on Friday, to approach the gigantic glass and iron conference centre protected by a 30,000-strong police force.
Regarding cultural cooperation, two flagship projects were adopted, one for granting study grants, the other for the creation of an "information highway" between European and Asian researchers. Both parties called for cultural links to be strengthened through the Europe-Asia Foundation, the only "institution" for ASEM dialogue.
The final declaration, adopted in the form of the "President's Declaration", compromises a paragraph, much to the Europeans' great satisfaction, on respect of human rights, and a long paragraph affirming the parties' commitment to work for the prevention of conflicts and for the safeguarding of the integrity of the treaties on disarmament, chapters obtained due to Chinese concessions.
The Heads of State took on new undertakings regarding the management of migratory flows, the fight against organised crime, but also the management of energy resources or the protection of the environment, in the respect of the Kyoto commitments.
Along the lines of the G-8 conclusions from Okinawa, the European and Asian Heads of State announced their intention to tackle the "digital divide" between poor and rich countries. "The digital divide phenomenon is a further obstacle to the balanced development of the global village. It has become a problem that Asia and Europe must resolve together", said the Korean President and President of the Summit, Kim Dae-jung, who opened the debates. Finally, in the "cultural and social" field, emphasis is placed on the intensification of university exchanges.
These priorities are reflected in the list of 16 projects adopted by the Heads of State according to the following three chapters: 1) globalisation and information technology; 2) actions for fighting against transnational dangers; 3) development of human resources, environment and health. The Summit also noted seven other projects that are to be specified.
New issues and new priorities for dialogue and cooperation
The cooperation framework defines the "vision, the principles, the aims, the priorities and the mechanisms of the ASEM process for the next ten years". The Heads of State mainly recognise in their
"vision" that relations between Europe and Asia are founded on "common interests", such as the safeguarding of aims and principles set out in the Charter of the United Nations, the respect of democracy, rule of law, equality, justice and human rights, respect of the environment and other global issues. The Heads of State affirm their intention to continue in their effort towards mutual understanding, without "avoiding any subject" and on the basis of "mutual respect, equality, and the promotion of human rights".
The framework takes up the lines of dialogue followed so far with the addition of new priorities: 1) among the issues of "global" concern: disarmament and non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the fight against international crime, the control of migratory flows, the fight against drugs trafficking, and the fight against racism; 2) among the economic and financial issues: commitment to intensify dialogue on information technologies, agro-technology, electronic commerce, transport, energy, environmental technologies, but also the continuation of dialogue on "questions of sustainable development (…) including major socio-economic issues"; 3) in the socio-cultural sector: intensification of university exchanges, the examination of the possibility of mutual recognition of diplomas, the creation of networks between all sectors of society, mainly among parliamentarians.
The current status quo on the way to include new countries in the ASEM process is maintained, despite the wishes expressed by the EU to make India enter ASEM (see EUROPE of 20 October, pp.6/7). By allowing ASEM non-member countries to take part in common projects, the Summit nonetheless left the door open to allow Laos and Cambodia especially (new ASEAN members) not to be left out.
Heads of State and Government express satisfaction and insist on intra-Korean relations (with slight nuances) - Asian countries hope to keep control on new ASEM memberships in their region
"Through this summit, the European Union and Asia have been able to consolidate their partnership for prosperity and stability in the new millennium", assured South Korean President Kim Dae-jung, speaking to the press. He mainly welcomed the Seoul declaration on peace in the Korean peninsula, and welcomed the decision by several ASEM countries to resume diplomatic relations with North Korea.
President of the European Council Jacques Chirac found the Summit was one step further towards making up for the weak relations between Europe and Asia. He stressed that the European Union and Asia represent 48% of the world GDP, and 52% of world trade. The EU is the largest world investor and Asia the first recipient of investment. But, he said, "trade only represents 7% of world trade. The destiny of the world is largely conditioned by the Asia/Europe/United States triangle. For the time being, the United States/Asia and Europe/United States are well developed while the Europe/Asia axis is still weak. ASEM contributes to rebalancing the world of tomorrow", he continued.
Thailand's Prime Minister and ASEM coordinator for the ASEAN countries, Chuan Leekpai, considered the third ASEM summit to be that of a process "still in adolescence", but which nonetheless allowed tomorrow's partnership to be developed. "Even if we have good bilateral State to State relations, a regional dimension is still lacking in our relations", he noted. Malaysian Foreign Minister Syed Hamid Albar, welcomed the "double key" system for accession by new members to the ASEM group. "We confirmed that the selection criteria for new member countries will be fixed by each regional group for its part. I hope that such criteria will be specified at the next ASEM summit and that we will be able to welcome new members like Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar", declared the minister. When invited to explain his country's opposition to entry by Australia and New Zealand in ASEM (that Kuala Lumpur considers non-Asian), Syed Hamid Albar remarked that "no group must impose a candidate for his party on another". "If Europe wants Australia and New Zealand to join, it can do so for its regional group", he said ironically.
Gerhard Schroeder defended before the press the German decision to open diplomatic relations with North Korea, stressing that the South Korean President had invited his ASEM to do so with insistence and that it is "easier to speak of human rights or disarmament with a country with which one has diplomatic relations". In his view, the differences between Member States in this connection have been over-dramatised. In fact, six European countries already have diplomatic relations with North Korea. In addition, the "German decision is a sovereign decision", he affirmed. Gerhard Schroeder suggested the South Korean President share the experience of reunification that Germany lived through, including the privatisation of State companies. "Thirty years ago, Willy Brandt received the Nobel Peace Prize.
Today, we are living a similarly historic moment".
Turning to the outcome of the Summit as a whole, the German Chancellor considered that "Asem had to change in future to focus further on specific and concrete issues". Among other things, he welcomed the backing for the reforms of the International Monetary Fund and greater transparency in the international financial architecture.
Louis Michel, Belgian Deputy Prime Minister, said that Belgium intended reestablishing its diplomatic ties with North Korea, while regretting that British Prime Minister Tony Blair had shattered the common front by announcing his decision without discussing the issue with his European partners.
Riuitchi Yamazaki, spokesman for the Japanese Foreign Minister, acknowledged that it was important that North Korea should begin opening itself up to the outside world and emerge from its isolation, but stipulated that Japan would need more time to resume diplomatic relations. Negotiations between Pyongyang and Tokyo on this are to resume in November, he said, hoping that the negotiations would be "honest". In his contacts with the Europeans, Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori placed emphasis on the resumption of relations with Pyongyang being accompanied by pressure on nuclear weapons issues, notably.
Chirac: the Fifteen to consult in November on recognition of North Korea
President Chirac told the press in Beijing on Monday, where he was for the EU/China Summit (see other article), that the problem of the "coordination of our actions" regarding diplomatic relations with North Korea, would be raised in November, "on the initiative of Mr. Vedrine, as President of the General Affairs Council", so that there is "dialogue". Mr. Chirac recalled that the EU Troika would be going to North Korea in November, and that that visit had been scheduled before the Asem Summit (the next General Affairs Council is scheduled for 20 and 21 November: Ed.).
The High Representative for Cfsp, Javier Solana, also said in Beijing that he regretted the lack of an EU common position regarding the recognition of North Korea. "From my point of view, greater coordination would have been preferable", he told a press luncheon, while stressing that the question of the recognition of Pyongyang was not covered by the Cfsp (regarding North Korea, the EU has so far stopped at participating in the Kedo programme for the construction of nuclear reactors).