Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-09-28-Speech-4-135"
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"en.20060928.23.4-135"2
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".
Mr President, I am speaking on behalf of my colleague, Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner, who is unable to be here this afternoon.
Much of ASEM’s value lies in its ability to bring into play all relevant stakeholders. The President of the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership addressed the leaders at the summit for the first time, and representatives of NGOs, business communities and trade unions also met alongside the summit.
The Helsinki Summit has given ASEM a fresh vitality as it enters its second decade and, with the enlargement, an even greater capacity to influence the international agenda. The Commission will continue to fulfil its role in seeking to realise the forum’s full potential.
I want to thank you for giving me this opportunity to report on the successful outcome of the Sixth Summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting held in Helsinki on 10 and 11 September. The summit was attended by all 39 ASEM partners, including the Commission, 35 of them at Head of State or Government level. The very high attendance testifies to the great importance attached by partners to the Asia-Europe relationship as ASEM enters its second decade.
Foremost among the deliverables of the summit was the decision to admit Bulgaria, Romania, India, Mongolia, Pakistan and the ASEAN Secretariat to ASEM. The opening to South-East Asia is an historic development which will significantly reinforce ASEM’s collective weight in promoting multilateralism and advancing shared policy goals in the international arena.
Under the overarching theme of ‘Global Challenges – Joint Responses’, President Barroso stressed the borderless nature of the challenges and threats facing today’s world and the need for a concerted response. Global issues such as terrorism and health threats could only be tackled through the multilateral international system, with the UN at its core.
To preserve an open and fair multilateral trading system, it was essential to resume the Doha negotiations as soon as circumstances permit. However, appropriate economic, education, employment and social policies had to be adopted to improve society’s capacity to adjust and enhance social cohesion while pursuing productivity growth. The development of a knowledge society was another essential element in ensuring sustainable growth and global competitiveness.
The President joined other partners in giving strong support to intercultural and interfaith dialogue. Harmony in diversity was possible, and there could only be zero tolerance for intolerance. The President shared with others deep concern at the progress of climate change, and called on partners to work together to achieve efficient, clean and sustainable energy use and the reduction of emissions. It was significant that the summit was able to adopt an ambitious Declaration on Climate Change, containing a common undertaking to fully implement commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention and its Kyoto Protocol.
Leaders engaged in really open and frank discussions on major regional developments including the Korean Peninsula, Burma/Myanmar and the Middle East. In the presence of the Burma/Myanmar Foreign Minister, Member States expressed deep disappointment at the lack of progress towards democracy in the country since the Hanoi Summit in 2004.
Looking forward, the summit adopted a Declaration on the Future of ASEM, identifying areas on which ASEM should focus its work to prepare for the next summit in Beijing in 2008 and beyond.
In addition to the bilateral summits with the Republic of Korea and China, President Barroso had meetings with the President of Indonesia and the Prime Minister of Singapore, and Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner met the Foreign Ministers of Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines."@en1
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