Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-09-28-Speech-4-136"
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"en.20060928.23.4-136"2
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"Mr President, I wish to extend my especial thanks to Commissioner McCreevy for his update on the summit held in Helsinki.
The emergence of the geostrategic and geoeconomic role of Asia and the dynamic appearance of strong emerging economies are shaping the new international framework within which the European Union is being called up to face up to the serious political, economic, energy and environmental challenges being created by globalisation.
Today, Asia is giving dynamic presence to and affecting the international system and is helping to shape the new power correlations of the 21st century. Nor is it a coincidence – even at a symbolic level – that the new UN Secretary General will come from Asia. The need, therefore, for the European Union to effectively develop the new Asian environment is now becoming more urgent. The institutionalisation of the annual summits is contributing towards dialogue and multilateral cooperation in crucial sectors for the future of mankind, such as peace, security, energy, the environment and economic and social development. From this point of view, the ASEM summit in Helsinki had positive results, because it confirmed certain basic principles of multilateral cooperation and highlighted the basic priorities for meeting the new international challenges.
However, we must not delude ourselves or cultivate major expectations, because the European Union does not have an integrated common strategy for Asia, with policies and mechanisms that will affect developments. The national strategies of the Member States do not add up to a stable basis for the common European strategy. In addition, the strong Asian countries – over and above the framework of general pronouncements – have already formulated and are consistently following their national strategic agenda in the fields of energy, trade and the resolution of international and regional problems.
Furthermore, multilateral cooperation and the rules of conduct are being cited on their terms, for example, in the fields of environmental protection, workers' social rights and women's and children's rights.
I wish to comment in particular on the fact that the European Union may record a positive statistical balance in its economic and trade relations with the countries of Asia; however, this cannot conceal the unfortunate fact of Asia's shortcomings in the protection of human rights and democratic freedoms and defence of the principles of tolerance and diversity. The recent coup in Thailand and the democratic deficit in numerous countries of Asia confirm this. In addition, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism is jeopardising stability and security as a whole.
I have a feeling that at every summit there is a surfeit of wish lists and a lack of clear commitments and objectives being laid down for implementation. That is why the European Commission could table some ideas with us for the operational follow-up to the summits and the need – in my opinion – for relations between the European Union and Asia to be institutionalised."@en1
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