Af udenrigsminister Per Stig Møller (K)
It is no secret that the preparations for this summit have been a painstaking process (henviser til uenighed om, hvorvidt Burma skulle optages i ASEM, red.). But the ASEM enlargement is now a reality.
Together we should use this ASEM enlargement as a catalyst for further strengthening cooperation between Europe and Asia. I am convinced that under the able chairmanship of our host and through our joint efforts ASEM 5 will be the best possible beginning for the new enlarged ASEM.
Europe and Asia share many interests. A strong cooperation between Europe and Asia benefits not only Europeans and Asians. It contributes to the building of a safe, just global order and a stronger world economy.
The world faces difficult times. New challenges and threats like terrorism, energy shortages, and climate change have joined traditional security problems like proliferation of WMD in the international arena.
And across the world many people are still in want of basic necessities, deprived of respect for their human rights and threatened by diseases and epidemics. In all areas we are in need of common solutions to common problems. ASEM provides a unique forum for dialogue and co-operation between Europe and Asia.
Europe and Asia share the interest of creating effective multilateralism as the means of sustaining and strengthening International Law. One important aspect is to cooperate to reform and strengthen the United Nations. As a presumably incoming member of the Security Council, Denmark looks forward to cooperating with ASEM partners on this issue.
Terrorism – as we have seen again today in the Middle East – is the plague of our time. Terror is directed at the very values and ideals of the open society – at our personal freedom. We have to fight terrorism – without hesitation, without weakness. But also without compromising the values of the open society.
Open dialogue on the basis of respect for cultural diversity and mutual understanding is one of the best ways of avoiding radicalisation and polarisation of the world.
The ASEM process is the type of open dialogue that the world needs. The decision in Copenhagen at ASEM 4 to expand dialogue and cooperation on combating terrorism has proved useful for us. Denmark intends to continue her engagement in this area.
From the very beginning of the ASEM process cultural dialogue and people-to-people contacts have had high priority. Denmark finds ASEMs third pillar very important and was happy to co-sponsor the first ASEM meeting for ministers of culture in China last year.
Denmark has also been supporting cross-regional contacts in the academic world – through ASEM-DUO. The Life-Long Learning initiative is still developing new methods for involving the weakest groups in life-long learning.
More initiatives like this that improves people-to-people contacts and understanding should be made. Denmark truly appreciates the central role of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) in supporting this work.
Europe and Asia share economic interests as well as political interests. 50 per cent of world trade derives from Asia and Europe. Europe has been leading in international trade for centuries. Today, Asia is the most important dynamo in the world economy – and will remain so for years to come.
Open and trade-dependent economies have an interest in a world of global free trade with liberal regulations on trade and investments. Free and fair trade is also necessary to drag the world finally out of poverty.
Denmark therefore finds the ASEM dialogue on WTO matters most useful and hopes to continue the consultations with ASEM partners. We all have an interest in an early conclusion of the Doha Round that will bring benefits to developed and, mostly, developing countries.
At the same time ASEM partners should aim to strengthen the trade and investment relations between Europe and Asia. Vietnams proposal to make a declaration on ASEM Closer Economic Partnership one of the main results of ASEM 5 is highly welcomed. I honestly hope that we will reward the efforts of our host through the conclusion of an ambitious declaration.
Finally, the broad based European-Asian co-operation is a necessity for all of us today and for the world of tomorrow. That gives us a heavy responsibility, but I am sure that ASEM 5 will be a cornerstone in the Asia-Europe partnership.
Lettere forkortet af redaktionen.
Kilde: www.um.dk
