[asia-apec 275] ASEM WATCH I
by way of daga <daga at hk.super.net>
asia at worldcom.nl
Fri Dec 13 11:44:56 JST 1996
this is msg 1 of 7 messages that came through on ASEM (Asia European
Ministers' Meeting) which you may want to subscribe to directly from:
<asia at worldcom.nl>
Apologies to those who may be receiving this copy a second time.
Dear friends,
The first joint Asia-Europe NGO Conference took place late
February in Bangkok. Approximately 400 women and men,
representing a wide range of people's organisations and NGOs
participated in this historic event. This NGO Conference was
scheduled on the eve of the ASEM, the first Summit bringing
together 15 European Union (EU) and 10 Asian government
leaders, from the seven ASEAN countries, China, Japan and
South Korea.
The Transnational Institute in Amsterdam (TNI) was among the
organizations in Europe (with CIIR in London and Asia House in
Germany) involved in organizing the Asia Europe NGO
Conference. At the Asian side Focus, ACFOD, Forum Asia, ARENA,
PARC, Just, CCEJ and others were involved. As a follow-up to
this NGO Conference it was decided that the TNI Asia programme
would set up a home page on the world wide web on Europe-Asia
relations. Since this takes a while we decided not to wait and
to compile in the meantime a mailing: 'ASEM WATCH'. This first
mailing contains a set of official ASEM documents, background
information on ASEM and opinion articles around the current
developments concerning ASEM.
'ASEM WATCH' is where you can learn about other people's
ASEM-related work and they can learn about yours. Please send
us your ASEM-related information (by e-mail, fax or
snail-mail!) -- including news items, research papers,
opinion pieces and information on grassroots activities
happening in your respective country. We welcome your comments
and suggestions!
We are preparing a book on ASEM, based on "The first
Asia-Europe NGO Conference: Beyond Geopolitics and
Geo-economics: Towards a New Relationship Between Asia and
Europe", which was held in Bangkok 27-29 February 1996. The
book will contain a selection of articles which were presented
at this conference. The book will be ready and published
spring 1997. If you are interested in receiving a copy of this
book, it is possible to send us an advance order by mail,
E-mail or fax.
Finally, we want to let you know that working committees in
both Europe and Asia are in place to prepare for the next
ASEM, to be held in Spring 1998 in London. We will provide you
with an update on the planned activities in the next ASEM
WATCH.
If you want to stay informed on further initiatives in
relation to ASEM please write, fax or E-mail to TNI:
Brid Brennan / Pietje Vervest/ Erik Heijmans
Asia Programme
Transnational Institute
Paulus Potterstraat 20
1071 DA Amsterdam
The Netherlands
Tel: 31-20-662-6608
Fax: 31-20-675-7176
E-mail: asia at worldcom.nl
If you know of any other organization wanting to receive ASEM
WATCH please let us know as well.
------------------------------------------------
ASEM WATCH I
official documents
Contents:
1. Background Note
2. ASEM Calendar
======================================================
1. BACKGROUND NOTE
Follow-up of Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM)
1. General
As was recognized by all participants, the first Asia-Europe
Meeting in Bangkok on 1-2 March was a major success. This
first ASEM:
- confirmed the clear will on both sides to develop further
the essential relationship between Asia and Europe, based on a
genuine partnership among equals;
- laid the basis for a strengthened political dialogue,
contributing to peace, global stability and prosperity;
- paved the way for a reinforced economic dialogue and
cooperation between the two regions, with a particular
emphasis on the facilitation and promotion of two-way trade
and investment flows;
- opened exciting new avenues for cooperation, in a wide range
of areas including development, global issues such as
environment and crime, and in particular in strengthening
mutual awareness and cultural links between Asia and Europe;
- and confirmed the interest of expanding our dialogue on
human values, in a constructive climate and respecting our
cultural diversity.
While all participants agreed that ASEM should not be
institutionalised, the timing and location of the next two
ASEM summits has been fixed (London 1998 and South Korea
2000), and a substantial programme of work has been commenced
in the different aspects of the ASEM dialogue.
Following on the specific decisions taken in Bangkok, the most
immediate follow-up actions have been concentrated on the
economic side of the ASEM process, with a customs cooperation
meeting in June, and a major Business Forum in October. At the
same time, significant progress has been made in developing
initial proposals for follow-up in certain other areas of
cooperation (notably with respect to the proposed Asia-Europe
Environmental Technology Centre, and the Asia-Europe
Foundation). Discussions have also commenced as to how the
ASEM political dialogue might best be strengthened, and this
will be taken further in preparing for the first ASEM foreign
Ministers' Meeting in February '97.
Nevertheless, it is important that the economic aspects of the
ASEM process are not seen to overshadow the political side of
our dialogue. Both aspects are essential components of the
strengthened partnership between Europe and Asia which was
established by the ASEM Summit.
2. Status of agreed follow-up actions
The decisions reached in Bangkok are set out in the Chairman's
Statement, emphasising:
- the fostering of political dialogue
- the reinforcement of economic cooperation
- and the promotion of cooperation in other areas (notably
science, education and development; environment and the fight
against crime; and cultural cooperation)
Political dialogue
Specific follow-up actions agreed by the heads of state and
government included:
- the continuation of the ASEM process proper, through the 2nd
and 3rd ASEM summits in the UK in 1998 (dates in April have
been suggested) and in South Korea in 2000, assisted by a
Foreign Ministers' meeting (to be held in Singapore in
February 1997) and by a Senior Officials' Meeting (to be held
in Dublin in December 1996);
- the enhancement of our existing 'bilateral' dialogues (ASEAN
Ministerial, PMC and ARF; dialogues with China, Japan and
Korea);
- the establishment of an ASEM dialogue on UN reform, in New
York (the first meeting took place in New York on 21 June);
- the establishment of networking and seminars among
think-tanks on international and regional issues;
- and, at an overall level, the possible establishment of a
general 'Asia-Europe Cooperation Framework'.
Economic cooperation
Specific follow-up actions agreed by the heads of state and
government included:
- a customs cooperation meeting, which took place in
Shenzhen on 21 June 1996. This agreed to strengthen
cooperation among ASEM partners with regard to control or
illicit trade in drugs, firearms and other items such as
counterfeit goods, and to promote the harmonisation and
simplification of customs procedures. Two working groups have
been established (one covering each of these main fields), and
future meetings will be held anally.
- a government/private sector working group on investment
promotion, which took place in Bangkok on 8-9 July 1996.
Proposed by Thailand, this group is intended to produce an
Action Plan for the facilitation and intensification of
two-way investment flows between Asia and Europe, for
consideration at the Economic Ministers' Meeting in 1997.
Discussions at the meeting focused on both the promotional and
regulatory aspects of investment, and it is expected that a
final paper will be produced around the end of the year,
following comments on the group's recommendations from both
the SOMTI and the Business Forum,
- a Senior Officials' Meeting on Trade and Investment (SOMTI),
with the objective of promoting the liberalisation and
facilitation of trade and investment. This was held in
Brussels on 25 July 1996, and focused on two themes:
- WTO issues (including such topics as Uruguay Round
implementation, ongoing work & built-in agenda, and other
issues including trade & investment, trade & competition,
trade & development, regional initiatives & RTAs, accession),
with a view to assisting in preparation for the WTO
Ministerial Meeting in Singapore in December 1996;
- and other measures to facilitate trade and
investment, including in particular investment facilitation,
customs cooperation, and trade facilitation. One important
conclusion was that a Trade Facilitation Action Plan (TFAP)
should be prepared, intended to reduce non-tariff barriers and
promote trade opportunities between the two regions. It was
also agreed that a second SOMTI meeting will be held in spring
1997, in Asia.
- The creation of an ASEM Business Forum, the first meeting of
which took place in Paris on 14-15 October 1996. Business
leaders from the two regions considered how to further
strengthen trade and investment flows between Asia and Europe,
and gave particular emphasis to the need for a clear, stable,
transparent and non-discriminatory framework for intensifying
business operations, and for continued efforts to reduce
barriers to trade in goods and services. Also emphasised was
the importance of joint ventures and strategic alliances in
enhancing business cooperation between the two regions, of
training and staff exchanges in promoting business awareness,
and of improved information flows in upgrading business
opportunities for SMEs. The Business Forum also suggested that
consideration be given to the possible establishment of a
Europe-Asia infrastructure Fund.
In addition to these four initial actions, other activities in
the field of ASEM economic cooperation include:
- a Business Conference, to be held in Indonesia in July 1997,
and to be followed by further meetings of the Business Forum (
in Thailand in 1997, and proposed for the UK in 1998, and
Korea in 1999)
- an Economic Ministers' Meeting in 1997 (which will probably
be held in Tokyo, in autumn of 1997);
- a Finance Ministers' Meeting, proposed for autumn 1997 in
Thailand;
- a study on economic synergy between Asia and Europe, for
which Japan is elaborating proposals;
- and a study on integrated railway networks, both trans-Asia
and trans-Europe, for which a paper is expected from Malaysia,
(Also relevant here is a study of surface transport routes
between Europe and Asia, currently being prepared by the
Commission).
Cooperation in other areas
Specific follow-up actions agreed by the heads of state and
government included:
- the establishment of an Environmental Technology Centre in
Thailand; a joint Thai/Japanese/European study of this
proposal commenced in October 1996;
- the establishment of an Asia-Europe Foundation in Singapore;
a concept paper has been prepared by Singapore and is
currently under discussion among ASEM partners; it is hoped
that the Foundation may be launched on the occasion of the
Foreign Ministers' Meeting in February 1997;
- an Asia-Europe University Programme, for which a paper is
awaited from Malaysia, and where the commission is also
considering a possible contribution;
- youth exchange programmes, for which both Japan and Austria
are preparing proposals;
- a proposed expert group on the promotion of technology
exchanges; China has presented an outline proposal on this
topic, suggesting that the first expert group meeting might
take place in the first half of 1997;
- customs cooperation on drugs (taken up in the Shenzhen
meeting of June 1996);
- and proposals on cooperation for development of the Mekong
Basin (for which a paper is awaited from Thailand).
A considerable amount of detailed work is obviously required
before substantive proposals in these various field can be
finalised, and the first concrete ASEM programmes are thus
likely to be approved in 1997. More generally, it will be
useful also to bear in mind possible supportive actions (in
addition to the specific activities decided in Bangkok) which
can help contribute to the main themes highlighted at the
Summit.
***********************************************************
2. ASEM CALENDAR: past and forthcoming meetings
***********************************************************
Please note:
- items with a question mark are subject to confirmation,
- ASEM FMM (15 February 97) will follow EU-ASEAN FMM (13-14
February)
- Customs Cooperation Meetings are foreseen to be back-to-back
with relevant WCO meetings.
Past meetings:
***********************************************************
ASEM 1, Asia Europe Meeting Bangkok 1-2 March 1996
CCM, Customs Cooperation Meeting
(Directors General) Shenzhen 21-22 June 1996
ASEM dialogue on UN
Preliminary Meeting New York 24 June 1996
WGI,
Working Group on Investment Bangkok 7-9 July 1996
SOMTI
Senior Officials' Meeting Brussels 24-25 July 1996
on Trade & Investment
BF, Business Forum Paris 14-15 October 1996
Forthcoming meetings:
**********************************************************
SOM
Senior Officials' Meeting Dublin 20 December 1996
(general follow-up)
SOM
Senior Officials' Meeting Singapore 11-12 February
1997
(general follow-up)
FMM
Foreign Ministers' Meeting Singapore 15 February 1997
CCM
Customs Cooperation working
group meetings
- enforcement Brussels (?) early February 1997
- procedures Brussels (?) late March 1997
SOMTI 2
Senior Officials' Meeting
on Trade & Investment Asia Spring 1997
CCM
Customs Cooperation Meeting 2
(Directors General) Vienna(?) mid June 1997 (?)
BC
Business Conference Indonesia (?) July 1997 (?)
FinMM
Finance Ministers' Meeting(?) Thailand (?) 26 September 1997
EMM
Economic Ministers' Meeting Tokyo (?) 28 September 1997(?)
BF 2
Business Forum 2 Thailand late 1997
*************************************************************
ASEM 2
Second ASEM Summit London April 1998(?)
FMM 2
Foreign Ministers' Meeting Europe (?) 1st semester 1999 (?)
ASEM 3
Third ASEM Summit Seoul 2000
************************************************************
================
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