Mr. Chairman,
Excellencies,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the European Union may I say that we found the 6+7 discussion with ASEAN's other dialogue partners yesterday very positive and fruitful As always, we welcome the opportunity to articipate in these meetings.
The European Union continues to admire the remarkable way in which ASEAN has succeeded in maintaining both high rates of economic development and political stability in your region. ASEAN also plays an important role in the regional field, not only via the implementation of the ASEAN Free Trade Area set up in 1992, but also through the ASEAN contribution to the developments with considerable interest.
The European Union considers Asia a priority area and envisages a comprehensive discussion in the Council bodies on an overall strategy paper which should be available shortly. The European Union has seen some important internal developments since the last Post Ministerial Meeting in 1993, including in particular the entry into force of the Maastricht Treaty, and the conclusion of the enlargement negotiations with a view to bringing about a Union of 16 on 1 Januaty 1995. We have also recently seen the election of a new European Parliament with increased powers.
Our links with you are very important, especially in the economic and trade fields where our trade with ASEAN has been increasing much faster than with other main areas of the developing world. We therefore consider the strength of EU-ASEAN cooperation to be a vital element in the relations between Europe and the Asian-Pacific region as a whole.
The enlarged European Union will have an even greater interest in maintaining, and also reinforcing, our relations with ASEAN. We see the coming Ministerial Conference at Karlsruhe in September 1994 as a valuable and crucial opportunity for us to highlight the importance of EU-ASEAN relations.
The Karlsruhe conference can build upon a long tradition of successful EU-ASEAN meetings. On this basis we want to lend our cooperation new impetus and, in doing so, make full use of the options contained in the cooperation agreement. We noted with satisfaction that the dialogue between the EU and ASEAN has intensified since the last meeting in Manila. We must now exploit the momentum which has been created. Yesterday we discussed the issues which are at the top of the foreign policy agenda in both our regions. Let me reemphasize the EU's determination to continue its commitment in finding a lasting peace settlement in the former Yugoslavia. I would also like to point out once again the significance of promoting economic and political reform in Russia and bringing it closer to existing Western organizations. The EU looks forward to engaging, at the appropriate time, in a dialogue with APEC, the coordinating body created by the states of the Asia-Pacific region.
I will be happy to discuss these issues again here. Apart from this we should use the limited time at our disposal during this meeting in particular for the discussion of future EU-ASEAN cooperation and the preparation of the Ministerial Conference in Karlsruhe.
We would be pleased if, during the Karlsruhe conference, you could inform my colleagues and myself in detail concerning the development of the ASEAN region since our last meeting two years ago in Manila. We in turn will give you a progress report about the European Union.
In Karlsruhe we are aiming to produce a short but substantial and specific joint final communique.
It also appears important to us that the ministers make a statement in Karlsruhe on the implementation of the results of the Uruguay Round. Both the EU and ASEAN bear a political responsibility for expediting their realization in their respective regions. This would not least have a positive effect on the overall conditions for economic exchange between the EU and ASEAN.
In practical terms the Karlsruhe conference should above all deal with the prospects for EU-ASEAN cooperation in the following areas :
In our opinion the five sub-committees set up by the Mixed Cooperation Committee will play a major role in intensifying dialogue on these themes. In preparing the Karlsruhe meeting we have devoted special attention to involving private enterprise, which has been repeatedly requested precisely by the ASEAN states. This request was warmly received by European business associations. I am especially pleased that businessmen from the EU and the ASEAN states will come together and exchange -views for the first time parallel with the Ministerial Meeting. The European business and industrial associations are looking forward to interesting talks and the lively participation of the Asian side. Let me suggest even now that we travel to Stuttgart for talks with the business representatives following our meeting in Karlsruhe.