ASEM Talks Aim to Further Europe-Asia Relations

The overarching theme of the two-day summit was "10 Years of ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting): Global Challenges - Joint Responses."

On climate change, the final statement of ASEM said its members were committed to keeping up attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions after the UN's Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. But their only concrete plan to achieve this was to "provide financial and technical assistance to ASEM developing countries in accordance with relevant provisions" of the United Nations' goals on reining in global warming.

With the second day of their summit coinciding with the
anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks, the European and Asian leaders held a moment of silence in commemoration during a morning session of their talks.

The leaders, who represent nearly half the world's population,
discussed threats that both their regions face, ranging from
terrorism to pandemics and some of the more negative sides of globalisation.

"ASEM can be instrumental in achieving tangible progress in
tackling various forms of crime such as money-laundering, drugs trafficking, illicit arms trading and human trafficking, as well as the financing of terrorism, and corruption," said Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen of Finland, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.

But, there was no precise plan as to what ASEM would
do halt these evils.

The 25-nation European Union, both curious and cautious about Asia's growing role in world affairs, was hosting leaders from China, Korea, Japan and the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

ASEM trying to prove relevance

Widely seen as long on talk and short on substance, the
10-year-old ASEM club is still trying to prove its relevance.

Seiji Endo, professor of international politics at Seikei
University in Tokyo, said the "raison d'etre of ASEM is its role as a talk shop". "It's all the more important to have this kind of dialogue, in a world where the sole superpower is a country which thinks military power can solve any problem," he said.

With 40 percent of the world's population, the two regions
represented in Helsinki generate about 50 percent of global gross domestic product and 60 percent of world trade. But the balance of trade is rapidly moving in Asia's favour, in particular due to the meteoric economic rise of China.

Earlier on Sunday, Finnish President Tarja Halonen urged her guests to use the combined political influence of Asia and Europe to shape globalization and fight against poverty.

''This is why we need to focus on the social dimensions of globalization and on poverty reduction. ASEM can effectively contribute to reforming globalization fairly'' she said.

Polarized interests of attending countries

The development of a unified political agenda has proven to be a challenge with the diverse interests of the attending countries. For instance the differences between the political situation in Myanmar, which is known for operating under a military dictatorship and Japan which has a democratic system.

EU brings up human rights

The European Union pressed the military junta of Myanmar to improve its human rights and democracy records. However, the Foreign Minister of Myanmar responded with a call for more time.

China was also asked to address its human rights situation, but human rights groups still criticized the EU for not taking a harder stance with the Asia nation.

According to a statement released by Amnesty International, China has ''continued to engage in practices that involve gross human rights violations…despite the commitment made at last year’s (ASEM) summit to protect and promote human rights.''

Following discussions on human rights, talks with China were directed to trade.

The participation of China and Myanmar at the summit attracted about 2000 demonstrators, who were reportedly involved in violent clashes with Finnish police.

Emphasis on multilateralism

The first closed session on Sept. 10 chaired by Vanhanen also emphasized strong support for the rules-based multilateral system with the United Nations at the center.

The ASEM partners noted the fight against transnational terrorism requires a multilateral approach, international cooperation, as well as cooperation between civilisations.

Action in the area of health was also welcomed by the ASEM partners.

The parties to the ASEM cooperation include the 25 Member States of the European Union, the European Commission, 10 ASEAN countries and China, Japan and South Korea.

Summit follows first ASEM labor conference

The ASEM labor conference, held in Potsdam, Germany from Sept. 3-5. was attended by labor and employment ministers from 25 EU member states, the European Commission and 13 Asian countries.

The theme of the conference "More and Better Jobs Working Jointly to Strengthen the Social Dimension of Globalization", reflected the concept of bringing together nations with extremely different labor laws and working to improve the standards worldwide.

Organiser of the labor conference and spokesperson for the German Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs Christian Schleithoff saw this first meeting as successful.

''We have enlarged the ASEM process which was dominated so far by foreign, economic and financial policy issues,'' Schleithoff said. We have highlighted "labor" as a very important element to shaping social dimensions.''

Schleithoff commented on the talks: ''one of our goals was to promote the 'Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work', which covers the elimination of all forms of forced labor, discrimination and freedom of association.''

Mynamar especially was identified by Schleithoff as having a ''bad human rights record, particularly in the field of labor rights.''

Franz Müntefering, German Federal Minister of Labor and Social Affairs said in his opening speech: ''dehumanising wages, life-threatening work conditions or even state-tolerated forced labor, cannot be accepted.''