Nuremberg - Foreign ministers of the European Union and the
Association of South East Asian Nations agreed Thursday to back the
launch of talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two
blocs.
In the 'Nuremberg Declaration on an EU-ASEAN Enhanced
Partnership,' the two sides also pledged to cooperate closely on
fighting terrorism, human trafficking and organized crime.
In the document issued after two days of talks in the German city
of Nuremberg, the two blocs committed to support talks on an FTA
based on the platform of the World Trade Organization.
They also reaffirmed their commitment to the stalled Doha round of
WTO negotiations.
The 27-member EU and the 10-member ASEAN said they would cooperate
closely on combating terrorism, trafficking in human beings, drug
trafficking, sea piracy, arms smuggling, money laundering, cyber
crime and related transnational crime.
On energy and climate change, the two sides agreed on the need for
'stable, effective and transparent global energy markets' and pledged
to promote energy security 'through an EU-ASEAN policy dialogue on
energy.'
They also called for the swift implementation of the Kyoto
Protocol on greenhouse gas emissions.
Without mentioning Myanmar's membership of ASEAN - a controversial
point for the EU - the two blocs committed themselves to 'promoting
universal values of justice, democracy and human rights' in line with
the UN Charter.
On the sidelines of the meeting, EU External Relations
Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner called on Myanmar to improve its
human rights record and to release Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung
San Suu Kyi, who has been under house arrest since 2003.
The two blocs also committed themselves to cooperating on
disarmament, arms control and non-proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction.
EU foreign policy head Javier Solana said he had been 'positively
impressed' by the contribution of ASEAN countries to the meeting.
'We discussed the most important international issues... There was
a sense of commonality of thinking, not only in trade and economics,
but also in politics,' he said.
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who co-chaired
the meeting with his Cambodian counterpart, Hor Namhong, said the
meeting had discussed the Middle East, the Iraq conflict, Iran's
nuclear programme, North Korea and other issues of international
concern.
The talks were the 16th since links were established between the
two blocs 30 years ago. The meeting took place under the auspices of
the German presidency of the EU.
© 2007 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
Ivo CerckelMar 17th, 2007 - 05:04:23
'Foreign ministers of the European Union and the Association of South East Asian Nations agreed Thursday to back the launch of talks on a free trade agreement (FTA) between the two blocs.'
Gentlemen, this is about trade, not barter.
You need a currency to 'do' trade.
The dollar used to be the currency of international trade.
The dollar is broke.
Why don't you address the issue of the currency in which ASEAN-EU trade will be conducted?
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