Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-10-02-Speech-1-093"
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"en.20001002.7.1-093"2
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"Mr President, the Europe-Asia Meeting is different to other kinds of dialogue, in that ASEM’s set-up is informal, which we appreciate in the case of this dialogue of eminent strategic importance. It also covers different dimensions and embraces politics, economic affairs and culture.
How can we marry all of this together? This is not straightforward, and we believe that the ideal starting point would be Commissioner Patten’s excellent speech on this subject back in July in Korea.
I would like to outline three points at this stage. Firstly, we Liberals attach great importance to economic cooperation, an often undervalued factor, not only over there, but also here.
If we learnt anything from the economic crisis in Asia, it is that liberalisation, with a greater level of economic transparency and sound protection of foreign investments, is effective. If there can now be joint initiatives within the WTO, then that is an extra bonus.
The second point is cultural cooperation. The exchange of scientists and politicians, as Mrs Randzio-Plath mentioned a moment ago, is extremely important in our view. This Parliament should play a role in this, too. In addition, I should like to underline the role of the Asian-Europe Foundation in Singapore. I am in favour of renewing their mandate provided this is attended by the necessary financial resources.
The third point is political dialogue: ASEM is the ideal forum for raising issues, including disturbing ones. We will be at the negotiating table with the People’s Republic of China and discussing its ban on the Falun Gong, and its system of arbitrary administrative detention and imprisonment for political reasons which is still in existence. All matters of this kind should very definitely be raised.
Mr President, ASEM’s enlargement to include India, among other countries, is under discussion. In any event, Burma cannot be considered for this enlargement scheme. The treatment of Mrs Aung San Suu Kyi, since we have just talked about the British human rights activist James Maudsley, is more than enough evidence that we cannot enter into a dialogue with this regime at this stage. We would rather go into partnership with Taiwan, and it would be nice if the People’s Republic of China and the Republic of China could take a leaf out of the book of North and South Korea in their attempts at conciliation."@en1
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