Excellencies,

This morning we had a fruitful discussion with ASEAN and he, dialogue partners. As I mentioned, the EU attaches great importance to her relations with ASEAN countries.

In this respect, the EU warmly welcomes the new- ASEAN membership of Vietnam, which will most certainly contribute to render ASEAN's role still more effective. The membership of Vietnam to ASEAN, with its concrete s ,ell as symbolic meaning, is the sign that the new,, area f peace and cooperation in Southeast Asia has firmly taken root and that the process has entered a hopefully irreversible phase.

The EU signed a cooperation treaty with Vietnam only two weeks ago. It is happy today to have also the opportunity to deal with Vietnam in, the global framework of ASEAN with which the European Union has a long- - standing and very complete relationship in a vast number f areas.

We believe that the opening f ASEAN to other countries of the region will deepen the ties between the ASEAN member states and give the integration process a new impetus. The European Union hopes for this trend to continue, especially as regards the neighbouring countries. The EU has been quite impressed by the way in which these countries, particularly Cambodia, have been trying to overcome the often difficult legacy of the past and establish firmly the rule of democracy. And although some obstacles still remain, the overall picture is satisfying.

As regards Myanmar, we welcome the lifting of all restrictions on Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the commitments made by her and the State Law and Order Restoration Council to work together to build a united and peaceful country. The EU considers that further dialogue with the SLORC needs to be exerted by third countries so as to secure progress in the path of national reconciliation and respect for human rights and democratic principles.

In the last year the European Union has taker, decisive measures to ensure the strengthening of her relations with Asia in general and ASEAN in particular. I should mention, in this sense, the conclusions of the ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting of Karlsruhe in September 1994 the publication of a communication on a new European Union strategy towards Asia, which was endorsed by the Heads of State and Government at the European Council in Essen in December 1994. The participation of the European Union in a number of ASEAN and ARF meetings and seminars and, last but not least, the agreement by both sides to organise an Europe-Asia meeting at the highest level in the spring of next year.

The Karlsruhe Ministerial Meeting, the 11th of its kind, has subsequently been considered by ASEAN and the EU as a milestone encounter which helped to dissipate some misunderstandings which had blurred the outcome of earlier meetings and put the mutual relationship back on a forward-looking track.

Apart form the atmosphere of open and frank dialogue, the Karlsruhe Ministerial Meeting resulted in the creation of an ASEAN-EU Eminent Persons Group, which will produce by next year a comprehensive report on the best means to enhance our global relationship. One more significant element was the business encounter which took place in the wake of the Karlsruhe meeting in Stuttgart.

The momentum created by the Karlsruhe spirit resulted quickly in the adoption by the European Council of a communication by the Commission on a new Asia strategy of the EU. This text sets out the guidelines for an integrated approach to the challenges that two of the most dynamic economic regions in the world are facing at the end of our millennium. The strong and developing relationship between the EU and ASEAN is the central plank of our efforts in this context: the latter's increasing dynamism will be the touchstone of the EU engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.

A further example of how our cooperation, is developing at a quick pace is the holding of an Europe- Asia meeting at the highest level, for which Thailand gracefully offered to be the host country. Preparations for this event are in full swing. We had the opportunity to discuss extensively our views on the framework and format of this summit with ASEAN on our arrival in Brunei. Let me just reiterate my invitation to you for a Senior Officials Meeting for further preparatory talks, which will take place in Madrid on December 19/20 of this year.