US, EU seek broader ties with Asean in protecting democracy, human rights

The United States and the European Union want broader partnerships with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to include the promotion of democracy and human rights in the region that is widely known for its contempt of civil liberties.

US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, in his opening statement at the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference, praised ASEAN for including a provision on human rights in its proposed Charter.

ASEAN’s bid for improving human rights was met with objections from Myanmar (formerly Burma) and expressions of concern from member-states with poor human rights records, notably Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.

“Our common interest is not just economic. One area where ASEAN is playing a stronger role is in support of democracy,” Negroponte said.

Negroponte headed the US delegation to the day-long 14th ASEAN Regional Forum or ARF.

EU Foreign Minister Javier Solana said at the same conference that EU is closely following the developments in Southeast Asia and is looking forward to its economic integration by 2015 with the establishment of the ASEAN Economic Community.

“The US considers its relations with ASEAN as a critical component of its dealings with East Asia as a whole. We want to deepen our partnership with you, individually or collectively, to help build a better future that people expect and deserve,” Negroponte said.

“Today we face challenges unforeseen in those years, but we also look to a future of even greater opportunities,” he added.

He said the US recognizes the significance of the statements of ASEAN leaders “on the shared vision to achieve peace, stability, democracy and prosperity in the region.”

Negroponte also cited the improving trade ties between the US and ASEAN, which reached $168 billion in 2006.

ASEAN’s combined gross domestic product exceeded $1 trillion for the first time in 2006, he said, adding that “we continue to be strong economic partners.”

Southeast Asian countries represent the fourth largest export market of the US “and as a group is one of the most rapidly growing and dynamic economies in the world,” Negroponte said. American direct investments in Southeast Asia stand at around $90 billion.

Negroponte also said the US and ASEAN “will review the progress on enhanced partnership announced by President Bush and ASEAN leaders in November 2005.”

He also bared further discussions on the Plan of Action regarding “enhanced partnership” signed by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and ASEAN foreign ministers in Kuala Lumpur last year.

The Plan of Action covers economic cooperation, health, scholarship, information and communication technology, transport, energy, disaster management and environmental management. The first ASEAN-US dialogue was held in Manila in 1977.

EU optimistic

Solana said ASEAN now has what it takes to play an important role in the world.

“The ASEAN is important to us. Just like ASEAN, the EU is 40 years old. We started 40 years ago. Today we are 27 countries with almost half a billion population. We play an important role in the international community,” Solana said. “We see this regional association as the start of something big.”

In a joint communiqué, ASEAN foreign ministers said the envisioned single market and production base should be “characterized by a competitive economic region with equitable economic development and one that is fully integrated into the global economy.”

The ministers also finalized the AEC Blueprint and Strategic Schedule that would serve as “an integrated and coherent master plan with clearly defined measures and actions, milestones and timeline to establish the AEC by 2015.”

The EU is a dialogue partner of ASEAN. The two groups signed a Cooperation Agreement in 1980.