BY CHHORNG LONG HENG

Cambodia as coordinator of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) from Asian group has hosted the ASEM Senior Officials’ Meeting (ASEM SOM) for three days from the 5th to the 6th of May 2010, to enlarge political and economic cooperation for the Asia and Europe to provide the mutual benefits for the people and as great regions in the world.
H.E. Hor Namhong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Intentional Cooperation, said that while Cambodia assumes its role as one of the ASEM coordinators from the Asian Group, it is indeed a great pleasure for me to be here at the opening session of the ASEM Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM).
“I wish to extend my warm welcome to all of you including the representative of Australia and Russia, who are present for the first time, as guests of the chair, at the ASEM SOM meeting,” he said at his opening remarks. “There is no doubt that the convening of this senior officials is very timely to help prepare for the forthcoming
ASEM-8 Summit in Brussels, Belgium in October of this year,” he added.
The Deputy Prime Minister highlighted that since, it inception in 1996, ASEM has made many achievement in various fields of cooperation between our two regions, as well as in term of its enlargement. Today, ASEM already has 45 members. The membership will increase to 48 at ASEM-8. He said that with its new members, ASEM would significantly represent around 50 percent of the world’s GDP, approximately 58 percent of the world’s population and 60 percent of the world trade.
“Undoubtedly, ASEM has become a strategic platform for a strong Asia-Europe partnership and a significant political and economic pole in the world,” he said.
The Deputy Prime Minister continued to say that at present, as you all are aware, the world is confronted with extremely serious challenges, from financial crisis to climate change, from food and energy security to terrorism and other international predicaments.
“With the speed of globalization today, it is evident that a crisis of one country can quickly turn into a global threat,” he emphasized.
Therefore, H.E. Hor Namhong said the challenges Cambodia are faced with today have global dimensions and serious worldwide repercussions, and this is the reason why Asia and Europe, as two significant regions in the world, need to work together in concerted action in order for ASEM, with its political and economic potentials, to contribute in a positive way, with the international community, in addressing in myriad of global threats.
“Our public may wonder how much ASEM’s activities have been carried out so far since its beginning, and up to now, we have had so many declarations and statements issued by our leaders Summit, which are all milestones for Asia-Europe cooperation and development. In my view, ASEM nowadays needs more effective and productive action to cope with its potentiality,” he said. “Having this in mind, I would like to urge ASEM SOM to work together more effectively to translate into real facts of what ASEM leaders and foreign ministers had decided,” he added.
H.E. Hor Namhong said that ASEM enlargement and the future of ASEM briefly. He added that with Australia, Russia, New Zealand’s admission in October this year during the ASEM Summit in Brussels, the number of ASEM members will be 48.
He hinted that with such a sizeable number of memberships, “should we endlessly expand ASEM?” or should we consider other possible options, such as taking a pause or adopting a moratorium? I am of the view that at this stage, we should focus on our priority on consolidating an efficient coordination of ASEM, with an appropriate mechanism of cooperation to make ASEM more action-oriented and more effective. With so many different members, ASEM simply can not afford to have nowadays only ad-referendum consultation.
H.E. Dr. Kao Kim Hourn, Secretary of State of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, told reporters after the meeting that Cambodia will have three new members in ASEM and it will be balance power in the ASEM for Asia and Europe.
“Asia has a huge infl uential economic growth and has played an active role for the cooperation among state members. The meeting also discussed the UN reform, energy and food security,” he said.
According to a report from the meeting, the first ASEM in Bangkok in 1996 agreed to develop a common vision of future, to foster political dialogue, to reinforce economic cooperation, and to promote cooperation in other areas. As equality of partnership, open process, dialogue leading to cooperation and work more effective cooperation among ASEM partners.
The new membership of ASEM will be announced in Brussels, on October 4 for the ASEM Summit and the ASEM summit in October will proceed on the general summit: achieving greater wellbeing and more dignity for all citizens, captured in shot as “quality of life” and also will focus on more effective global financial and economic governance as well as sustainable development and, food security, economic development, social development.
The report said that a Coordinators’ Meeting, bringing together the four coordinating partners (currently Cambodia, South Korea, plus the EU Presidency (Spain) and the European Commission is held as and when necessary. ASEM is towards a common vision for Asia and Europe.
ASEM group with The 45 members of the ASEM cooperation are Japan, China, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, South Korea, the 10 states in the ASEAN alliance (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Brunei Darussalam, Viet Nam, Myanmar, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic and Cambodia), the ASEAN General Secretariat as well as the 27 European Union Member States and the European Commission. (SEAW)