December 18, 2002

    My Appraisal of the ASEAN and its Related Summit Meetings

    It is already one month and half since the Cambodian Government hosted the ASEAN and ASEAN+3+1 Summit Meetings together with the GMS (Great Mekong Sub-region ) Summit which preceded them. These summit meetings have drawn international attention to Cambodia because it was the first ever multilateral summit meetings hosted by Cambodia and as it was really unprecedented that so many summit meetings were held at the same time. Though belatedly, it may nevertheless be worthwhile to make an appraisal of these important events.

　 Frankly, I consider that the meetings were a great success and I would like to congratulate wholeheartedly the Cambodian Government and the people of Cambodia. My words of felicitations go particularly to the Prime Minister Hun Sen because he is the one who took the whole leadership in the preparations and chaired so many important meetings with great dexterity and led them to successful conclusions. Let me explain why I think they were successful.

    First, the meetings were held peacefully and orderly at the time when the world is threatened by a possibility of terrorism. I know the security authorities made careful preparations and worked hard. This will enhance the international status of Cambodia which still suffers from somewhat mistaken perception of being an unstable country.

    Secondly, it was a series of many meetings in which altogether fifteen heads of state or government participated in different memberships. Because of the lack of large accommodations, the participating Presidents and Prime Ministers were obliged to stay in different hotels with their large delegations. Cambodia, the newest member ASEAN, handled these logistically very complex operations without any serious confusion.

   Last, but not the least, the results of the meetings were generally very positive and contain a lot of elements which would lead to the realization of a more integrated, more cooperative international community in East Asia. Both the ASEAN and the ASEAN+3 endorsed ASEAN integration( i.e. reduction of the gap of development levels between advanced ASEAN members and the late-comers such as Cambodia) as the priority agenda and agreed to accelerate cooperation in that direction. GMS agreements will also facilitate a more integrated approach to the development cooperation in the Mekong region. I also noted with a particular interest that China showed an increasingly cooperative attitude toward the affairs of ASEAN and East Asia. The Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea in which China and other countries concerned agreed to have a more restrained attitude in the conflicts in the South China Sea is a case in point. The framework agreements signed between China and ASEAN as well as between Japan and ASEAN are also important instruments to prepare a more cooperative economic relationship in the the region in the context of globalisation.

    Overall, the series of the Summit meetings have given a political impetus for a more stable and more prosperous future of the East Asia community.

    Should Cambodia Have Cancelled the Summit Meetings?

    There were certain critics who pronounced opposition to the holding of the summit meetings and called for their cancellation saying that they don't serve the purpose of reducing poverty and that the money to be spent for the meetings should instead be used for poor people. I think it is a very short-sighted view. I think the greatest beneficiary of the Summits is no other than Cambodia because it is one of the least developted countries in ASEAN and more advanced ASEAN countries as well as Japan, China and Korea will support the development of Cambodia in order to integrate the ASEAN region.

    A Japanese Perspective on the Future of Japan-ASEAN Relations

    The history of Japan's relationship with ASEAN countries dates back to almost 30 years. In the late 1960's and early 1970's, Japan was at the first stage of economic development which amazed the world because of its high GNP growth rates. Japan had traditionally considered Asia as its most important partners and adopted the policy of supporting ASEAN as Asia's major group of developing countries. Its rapid economic growth allowed Japan to increase ODA globally but especially to ASEAN countries. We believe that Japan's persistent economic assistance contributed to the economic take-off and the subsequent development of the ASEAN countries in an important manner.

    Japan's then Prime Minister Fukuda made a major speech in Kuala Manila in 1977 enunciating Japan's policy principles in its relations with ASEAN. He stressed in particular that Japan considered ASEAN countries as "equal partners" and would like to build up a "heart-to-heart understanding" with them. In fact we have pursued this policy consistently since then and this even in the most difficult period of our economic downturn. Prime Minister Koizumi was once a personal secretary of Mr. Fukuda and is now an ardent successor of this policy. His favourite words for Japan-ASEAN relationship are "act together and advance together".

    On November 5, I observed the discussion of the Japan-ASEAN Summit in the listening room at the Hotel Intercontinental and felt very much encouraged to see all the ASEAN leaders sincerely appreciated Japan's policy in the past. Referring to the five new ASEAN policy initiatives launched by Mr. Koizumi in Singapore in January 14 this year, a couple of senior ASEAN leaders said ASEAN-Japan relations were undergoing a qualitative change and expressed a strong hope that these relations be further strengthened. As a Japanese diplomat, I was very pleased to feel that its partners appreciated Japan's ASEAN policy in the past three decades. Japan's new proposal for a "Comprehensive Economic Partnership" with ASEAN will provide a useful framework for the future. Together with other new initiatives, I am convinced that Japan's " support the ASEAN " policy will continue because the development of ASEAN as a region as well the partnership with ASEAN is beneficial to Japan, too.