Euinsights Fulltext

EU Insights
Post-Cold War
From: http://www.oup.com
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European Map
From: http://www.millikin.edu
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Treaty of Rome
From: http://www.uaces.org/Rome.htm
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Founder Father of European Union

From: http://apella.ac-limoges.fr
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UK as the EU Presidency
: the Renewal of
50 year-old EU
H.E. David Fall
the British Ambassador to Thailand
Dr. Charit Tingsabadh:
Ambassador David Fall, the British Ambassador to

Thailand, Ambassador Andrs Balogh, from Hungary,
Ambassador Hiskakis, Greece, Ambassador Pytel, Slovak
Republic, Ambassador Goralczyk, Poland and Mr. Erik
Habers, European Commission Delegation, distinguished
guests, ladies and gentlemen,
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It is an honour and pleasure to welcome you to

Chulalongkorn University on this very special occasion, the
Special Lecture Series, organised by the Centre for European
Studies. We call it EU Insights because we think that the
EU remains an interesting object of study among other
lessons. Why we want to know the European Union in
Thailand?
Let me say a few words about speaker today who has

honoured us coming here. Ambassador Fall is a special
friend to Thailand. He has been here many times, but I think
this time is special in this sense that the UK now holds the
presidency of the European Union for the time being. What
he says will hopefully explain about the situation of Europe
today and the UK in Europe today. And I think we have also
many interesting things to hear from him. In addition you
will see from the programme later we will have the Polish
Ambassador here and the Turkish Ambassador will come
and also at the end the Minister of Foreign Affairs of
Thailand will be also come with the date to be fixed. Then I
hope its not too long introduction. Let me turn to your
attention; invite you to listen to Ambassador Fall, the British
Ambassador to Thailand and I think also representing the
European Union. Thank you very much.
H.E. David Fall:
Im honoured to be invited to be the first speaker

from such a distinguished selection of speakers. I am not an
expert on the EU. I have never served in Brussels and I have
never served as a diplomat in European countries. I have
always chosen the oceans far rather than in the United
Kingdoms European backyard you might say. My career
has been in the Asia-Pacific region. So I take a detached
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view of the EU. And I also will not in this speech I will not
get deep into details into the undergrowth of the EU
regulations, EU structure and so on. I am not an expert in
that. There are other guests here, my colleagues, especially
from the Commission who are much more expert in the
detail how the EU actually works. What I would do is try to
give you an overview from the UK point of view. I must
emphasize that I am not here speaking as the EU presidency.
The presidency has to represent the view of all the member
states. I am here as the representative of the UK, talking
about the UKs current role as the presidency of the EU. So
what I say concerns British policy toward the EU. It does not
necessarily represent the policy of all the EU member states.
Now, Dr.Charit said in his introduction that Europe

needs a lot of understanding. Europe is very complicated
structure and a complicated gathering of states. Thailand has
a very long history of dealing with Europe, of dealing with
many states of Europe. And I think Thailand is particularly
well placed in Asia to understand what motivates the states
of Europe.
I think one of the problems is that people in the EU

itself do not understand what the EU is all about. In fact,
many of our leaders in Europe, in the EU do not understand
what people think about Europe. There are many
misunderstandings about what the EU stands for.
Let me take it back to the simple question. What does

the presidency of the EU involve? The EU is not a country.
It is not a country. It is not the United States of Europe. It is
a confederation of the independent sovereign states.
Independent sovereign states who have agreed to pool their
sovereignty, in other words, in delegate decision making in
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certain issues, on certain issues only; to a central institution

which represents the EU. So the presidency of the EU is not
like the president of the United States. It is not an executive
presidency. Queen Elizabeth or Tony Blair is not the
president of the EU for a short time. The presidency of the
EU acts and speaks on behalf of the member states. It is a
coordinating and facilitating role. The presidency lasts only
six months. That is a very short time. It is too short a time
for any presidency to bring about major change. So
coordination with previous and following presidencies is
absolutely essential. And also coordination and co-operation
is necessary with the European parliament and with the
European Commission. Now the UK is working in
accordance with the Strategic Programme for 2004 until
2006. This Strategic Programme was drawn up with
previous presidencies, Ireland, Netherlands, Luxembourg,
and now the UK as the current presidency; Austria and
Finland will follow as the succeeding presidencies. This
Strategic Programme is a blueprint, a business plan for the
future. It sets objectives, milestones, and a timetable for the
work of the EU across the whole range of issue -
constitution, budget, economy, environment, agriculture,
fisheries, foreign policy, defence, security, justice etc. It is
the framework which the succeeding presidency will try to
follow. But this Strategic Programme is already flowed, is
already moving away from what was envisaged.
The first paragraph of the Strategic Programme said
(B)y the end of the period covered by

this programme 2004 2006 the widest ever
enlargement of the EU will have become a daily
reality, a new constitutional treaty bringing
changes to the Unions institutional framework
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will have been approved. In addition, the Union

will have laid down the financial framework for
its activities into the second decade of the
century...
Enlargement has taken place. The EU is now 25

members. The constitution as you know has been rejected in
referendums in two member states, which are actually
founding members of what, became the Common Market.
The constitution - remember I am talking on behalf

of the British government not on behalf of all member states
- in the view of the British government, is effectively dead.
A new financial framework has not yet been agreed or
negotiated and there are arguments over the budget, common
agricultural policy, over Britains contribution for example.
So Britain assumed the presidency on the EU of 1 July 2005
for only six months at a very difficult time, because the
constitution had just collapsed around the previous
Presidency of Luxembourg. It is a time of discussion, a time
of argument, a time of some disagreements between the
member states over the way forward. That discussion, that
argument, will continue to await the outcomes of, what new
government emerges in Germany and what attitude Germany
will have toward the crucial issues that are affecting
Europes future at the moment. Now Tony Blair, the British
Prime Minister, set out the UKs approach to current
problems in the EU when he spoke to the European
Parliament in June 2005, just a few months ago. And I will
just bring out here some of the main points of what he said
to the European Parliament. The EU is 50 years old and has
evolved to its present structure over 50 years. Its structure,
its membership has changed enormously. It is time to
change, to re-structure the way the EU is run. It is time to
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look at the whole system, the whole purpose really of the

EU, to find the right structure for the future. The EU is in the
middle of the profound debate about its future. But is it
really in crisis? If you read I think the last edition of The
Economist, the Charlemagne column said, Crisis, What
crisis? Where is it gone? Everybody has come back from
holiday but the EU is still rolling on in the way it has. So
where is the crisis gone? There is not that sense of crisis
anymore. But in the middle of this debate there is an
opportunity. There is an opportunity here that Europe needs,
has to take, if the member states have the courage to do so.
The issue is not a simple one. It is not just between

those who believe in a free-market Europe and those who
believe in a social Europe. It is not between those who
want to retreat to the old Common Market, and those who
believe that developing Europe as a political project. That is
too simple. There are various issues to be debated and we
not need to work out how European member states converge
together. Not just because we have agreed to pool
sovereignty, not just because the institutions are now
outdated, but, because the world is changing. At the
moment, the United States is the worlds only superpower.
But in a few decades, China and India will be the worlds
largest economies. Each of them, China and India, will have
a population three times the population of the EU. So the
idea of the European nations working together is essential
for those nations to keep the place that they have developed
in the world.
The second really important impetus is that only

through change will the EU recover its strength, its
relevance and its idealism. And also to recover its supports
among the people of various European states. To be frank,
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the EU has lost that support among many of the people in

the European member states. For four years, Europe
conducted a debate over a new constitution, an incredibly
detailed and careful piece of work, setting out the new rules
to govern a Europe of 25 member states and in time 27, 28
member states. The constitution was endorsed by all member
state governments. It was supported by all leaders in those
member states. And it was then comprehensively rejected in
two referendums in two founding member states. In the
Netherlands, it was rejected by over 60% of the people who
voted. And the reality is that in many, many member states,
it would be hard today to secure a Yes vote in a
referendum. Now, why did people reject it? Do we think the
electors read great thick volumes of documents on this
European constitution, and said thats not right, or I do
not agree with that? That is not that was the reason they
rejected it. They rejected it because it is the vehicle, the
means for the electorate to register their discontent, their
deep discontent with the state of Europe; their discontent
with the way Europe seemed to be developing. In the UK,
the EU is seemed as too distant, too undemocratic, too
intrusive, too intolerant and too inflexible. So what does to
UK think should be done about it? What does our policy
agenda for Europe look like?
Well, first of all, the UK believes the EU needs to

modernise the EU social model. What type of social model
is it that at the moment has 20 million people unemployed in
Europe? What type of social model is it that has a
productivity rate behind that of the United States? What type
of social model is it that is allowing more science graduates
to be produced by India than by the whole of Europe? And
on any of the relative indices of a modern economy - skills,
research and development, patents, IT - all the indices are
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going down in Europe and not going up. This is against the
background of the world that is changing. India will expand
biotechnology sector by five times in the next five years.
China has trebled its spending on research and development
in the last five years. That is the challenge that Europe has to
meet.
If you look at the top 20 universities in the world

today, only two of them are in Europe. So we have to
develop a social Europe that works. That is not to say you
throw out social Europe altogether. We must keep a social
welfare programme, the protection of labour, and so on. It
has got to be a system that works. It has got to be on the
basis of a strong economy. And it has got to be a system that
does not put the economy at a disadvantage compared to
Europes capacity in the world. We have got to see the
changes in the budget, the budget structure. In ten years
from now, we cannot have a budget which still spends forty
percent of its money on the Common Agricultural Policy
when the Common Agricultural Policy benefits less than
five per cent of the population of Europe at the moment.
What will happen, for example, when Turkey joins the EU?
Turkey will demand access as well to agricultural support
how we can afford that? The whole system needs to be
looked at.
We need to look outside Europe as well. We need to

be agreeing practical measures to enhance, to strengthen the
defence capability of Europe. We need to be prepared to take
on more missions in peace keeping and peace enforcement.
And to develop that capability, with NATO or without
NATO, of being able to intervene quickly and help prevent
and resolve conflict. The EU is already a leader in providing
development assistance for developing countries in the
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world. The EU should also be leading the way and is trying

to lead the way on promoting a new multilateral trade
agreement which will increase trade for all, but especially
for the poorest nations. The EU should be leading the debate
on climate change and developing pan-European policy in
order to tackle it. A strong Europe needs to be an active
player in foreign policy, a good partner for the United States
but also capable demonstrating its own capacity to shape and
move the world forward. We need to conduct a debate about
the future of Europe in an open, inclusive way, giving our
view but being fully respectful of the views of others.
So that is the background as what you might call the

Blair philosophy toward Europe at present. But all of this
is the view of one member states charged with the
presidency at the moment. All of this has to be agreed with
24 other member states. It will not be achieved in six months
but at least we hope during the UK presidency we will get
the debate rolling. Now how is all of this likely to impact on
the world? What are the priorities seen from the UKs point
of view? Tackling poverty is one. This is a major concern of
the present Prime Minister, Tony Blair, a concern which he
and his government would try to promote in the EU and in
the G8, of which the UK is also in the presidency this year.
So the UK wants the EU to provide the leadership and the
quality and quantity of development needed to tackle
poverty and achieve the Millennium Development Goals.
Building on the decision to set a target to double EU aid by
the year 2010 and to achieve the United Nations target of 0.7
percent of GNP to be devoted to development assistance by
the year 2015.
Tony Blair is a man with the mission. This is his last

term as Prime Minister. He said he would not stand as Prime
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Minister again. This is his third term. He needs to put his

stamp on history. And he is a politician with a mission. And
two of the major missions that he wants to push forward are
tackling world poverty and tackling environmental
problems, climate change. He wants to promote within the
EU and within the G8 his policy of the richer world, the
north, and coming to the assistance of the less developed
world. Not just because it should be done, but also because it
is in the interest of the richer nations of the world to be
assisting the developing nations. Poverty, breeds, crime. It
breeds terrorism. It breeds misery. It breeds disease. All this
can affect the richest countries in the world. We cannot, in
other words, just pull up the drawbridge and sit within our
comfortable EU castle and say we are all right, the rest of the
world can go hang. So tackling poverty is something the
Blair government very much wants to push forward with
other members of the EU.
Africa is a key area in tackling poverty. You

compare Africas development to development in Asia. It is
pitiful, for variety of reasons. Africa will receive at least 50
per cent of the additional resources that the EU pledging to
world development. The aim is to develop the
comprehensive and long-term global strategy toward Africa
in the light of the outcome of the Millennium Summit. The
WTO ministerial meeting in Hong Kong in this coming
December will aim to take forward the Doha development
agenda, the current round of multilateral trade talks. We
would like to see an outcome which leads to global
economic growth, including through better access to markets
for developing countries, in particular for the poorest nations
of the world such as in Africa. And we and partners in the
EU would like to see an outcome, which allow the Doha
development agenda to be completed during 2006. As part
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of the liberalizing of the international trade market, the EUs

sugar regime needs reform. This disadvantages countries in
the developing world at the moment. It benefits farmers in
Europe. Reforming the EU sugar regime will strengthen
wider trade and development objectives. Getting an EU
contribution to an ambitious outcome in world trade talks is
all linked with tackling poverty.
We need joint measures within the EU, between the

EU and other countries, internationally to tackle world
terrorism. Tackling it is not just a matter of repression. We
need to tackle the causes of terrorism as well. Dealing with
poverty is one way we can try to reduce poverty. But also
engagement with, for example, the countries of the Muslim
world to gain better understanding between the countries of
Europe and the countries of the Muslim world. The UK, like
many other European countries, has a large Muslim
population. There are one million British Muslims in the
United Kingdom. France probably has more. So there are
internal political issues for European nations as well as
external political issues and security issues. Russia is a big
neighbour. The EUs border is a long one with Russia and
we have got to build the partnership with Russia for our
benefit and Russias benefit as well. It is a common
neighbourhood. We need an EU relationship with the
Ukraine within reflects progress that has been made in
taking forward reform in Ukraine.
Beyond the EUs immediate border we have got to

work with the United States and with other international
partners to play a major role in trying to solve problems in
the Middle East. For example, we need to take forward the
role that the EU is developing in supporting the very
difficult transition to democracy in Iraq. We need to deliver
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as well on the EUs commitment to open accession

negotiations with Turkey on the third of October. We have
got to prepare for Bulgarias and Romanias entry into the
EU in January 2007. And we have to be ready to open
accession agreements with Croatia as soon as conditions
have been made.
Working with the United States remains a priority. I

said in another lecture here at Chulalongkorn University, for
the United Kingdom, there is no relationship that is more
important than that with the United States. But that does not
mean to say there is conflict between our relationship with
other member states of the European Union or participation
in European Union and with our relationship with the United
States. I see it as a complimentary relationship. It would be a
disaster if the UK were ever forced to choose between
Europe and the United States. It is a major objective in
British foreign policy to avoid that situation as it is to ensure
that the two trans-Atlantic pillars, Europe and the United
States are working together. That does not mean to say that
there are no disagreements between the United Kingdom and
the United States. There are, for example, disagreements
between member states of the EU and the United States, for
example, on the environment the Kyoto protocol and so on.
There are disagreements we need to talk through if we need
to come on understanding. On the environment, all member
states need to coordinate the EU strategy for the Montreal
UN climate change conference. We need to coordinate the
development of strategy to reduce harmful emissions in the
world.
And in Asia, we need to develop dialogue with China

and with India and with Japan with ASEAN countries. Asia
is going to be one of the worlds major players in this
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century. And it is very important that Europe works together

with Asia, understands Asia perhaps better than Europe does
at the moment.
I think it is a very patchy record of working together.

It is a mutual thing. Asia needs to understand what drives
Europe. The EU member states need to have a better
understandings not only of the challenges from Asia, but of
Asian values, the sort of values that the UK imported to our
benefit in up 1980s, very much Japanese economic values
way of running the economy, replacing the out moded,
working practices that we had in the UK up until the advent
of the Thatcher - Major governments.
We brought in many Asian values, including many

Asian economic values. My own personal view is that the
UK could benefit greatly from importing Asian values in
education, in family, in society as a whole. So these are the
priority areas that the UK sees for its current role as EU
presidency.
How does all this impact on Thailand? Well, one of

the aims of our presidency here is to develop further the
relationship between the member states and the Kingdom of
Thailand, and together with the European Commission the
presidency representing the member states is working hard
to complete the proposed EU-Thailand Partnership and Co-
operation Agreement by the end of 2005. I hope it sticks to
that timetable. We want to develop and open a constructive
dialogue bilaterally with Thailand and with Thailand through
the ASEAN structures, ASEM for example, on issues of
mutual concern, for example, the need to promote
democratisation in Myanmar, the threat of terrorism, and
transnational crime, and post-Tsunami rehabilitation.
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So I hope I have given you there in the very broad

outline and idea of what we feel our presidency is all about.
But lets be clear that the presidency is not about trying to
impose an agenda upon the rest of the EU. They would not
have it for start. And it is not about trying to get a deal
within the EU in each and every issue. It is not realistic to
solve every problem in six months. And much of the work or
programme will be aiming to take forward issues as far and
as effectively as we can before handing over to Austria, the
next presidency. It is like a relay race handing on the baton
all the time. So every presidency has to be a caretaker roll. It
has to be part of the long-term process. You can change the
drivers but you do not change the train. But if the train is
derailed, then you need to ask why before you put it back on
the same old track again. And the rejection by people of the
EU in, so far, two member states and it probably in the two
member states of the EU constitution is a major derailment.
So we need to look at why the train is being derailed. And
maybe suggestion a preplanning of the route. Now there will
be argument and discussion over this. But these debates and
discussions are needed in the long term if the EU is going to
be a complete successfully in the modern world. And in six
months all we can do it to get that debate underway.
Ambassador of the Republic of Poland:
Congratulations, I am saying a word is not only

politeness you are our current presidency. You have
caretaker on someone who is car driving. Anyhow, it was
the impressive introduction of our series of lectures.
Somebody who observe, I am second in line. I will have my
floor here. And I will have a chance to talk. So if you allow
me while being capacity of ambassador, career diplomat and
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career academicians. I would like to give one remarks and to

put one question to our dear guest today.
As far as the remarks is concerned, David Fall,

ambassador of Britain has kindly remarked that the
European Union as a confederation. Well, speaking as an
academician let me try to complicate the case a little bit. But
to a little bit elaborate what we are talking about in these
coming years of this series of lectures. Well I have a little bit
different approach to this issue because in my opinion its
much to say what the European Union is not and what
European Union is.
Definitely, we can say the European Union is not a

country. Even we are having a president, presidency; its not
a country. Its easy to unsolved. But also it seems that the
European Union is definitely not international organisation,
by any kind of definition. So what is the European Union? In
my opinion, the European Union is an effort. Its a process,
the process of integration. And only is the final result of this
process, of this effort sooner or later, this will probably our
final aim and goal to achieve the federation or the
confederation of the states which will be a new body in
international scene, completely new, incomparable to
anything.
David kindly remarked and I put it into my note that

the European Constitution, to put it frankly, is dead.
Afterward I listened to this lecture, I observe then there is no
a future of the European Union among priorities which our
speaker described. I would like to know what is your opinion
or the British opinion on the European Constitution. What
do you think? I adding something a comment from myself
public opinion of Britain was not in great favour on this
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Constitution. So I would like to know your personal view or

maybe your description on the situation in the Great Britain
concerning the future of the European Constitution. Thank
you very much.
H.E. David Fall:
We will not make this discussion between diplomats;

it has got to be the discussion with the wider audiences. So I
will reply very briefly on that.
It is an increasingly interdependent world obviously.

I talk about the member states of the European Union
pooling sovereignty all states pool sovereignty in different
ways. The Free Trade Agreement that Thailand is making is
one way of pooling sovereignty in the trading area and so
on. The world is moving more and more toward
international co-operation between groups. If we compare
Europe today with Europe 50 years ago, its absolutely
transformed. It is an amazing transformation, which has
taken place in Europe. You think of the ravages of war, the
state of Europe within the end of WWII. The Iron Curtain as
well descending upon Europe. Now we have a Polish
ambassador here representing Poland as a member of the
European Union. This would have been inconceivable 20
years ago, absolutely inconceivable. Europe has changed
greatly. What has become the EU has been a central
platform for change. And all credit must go to those who
motivated the establishment of the European Union.
Now what is the future for EU Constitution? Well, I

think the use of the word Constitution was a mistake
personally. And it did help those who very much oppose or
fear a creation of federal structure on Europe, who felt that
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this was yet another move along the track towards a united
federal Europe. And I think that is one of the reasons why
there is such popular opposition to the concept of the
Constitution. It was regarded at taking the people further
along that track that they wanted to go. Many just wanted to
stop at the next station and get out there. They dont want to
go all the way down that track. So I think we have to get
away from the word Constitution for a start.
I think what we have to do is to find a way, of

regulating this new Europe of 25, 27 and 28 numbers further
down the track. Maybe that may be through agreement to
use part of the overarching current Constitution. Whatever
means is found of reforming the administrative structure in
Europe, it quite clear has to be agreed by the people. Weve
got to be careful that the politicians, the statesman, the elite
in Foreign Ministry and other ministries run European
Affairs in a war which is not divorced from the feelings of
people. Weve got to be able to sell it to the electorate. We
are a democracy. The member states are democracies.
Europe has to develop as a democratic institution and you
can only do that it we get the people on board.
Prof. Dr. Pornsan Watananguhn:
Im Pornsan Wattanangkun, from Centre for

European Studies and Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn
University. I have some questions and some remarks. You
have mentioned about the education in Europe and about the
elite universities that only two European universities are on
the list. But from my point of view, I will not so worry about
that, because I think Europe has a very strong basis, because
most of the people in Europe have the best education. You
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cannot compare with some elite institutions of some

countries. Thats one point.
Another point, Dr. Charit has mentioned the outcome

of the German election and the impact on the EU policy. I
would like to say, as I had a chance to meet the Vice
President of German parliament last month, and I just know
that when it will be a grand coalition between Christian
Democrat and SPD. And CDU will play the major role.
There will be a change in foreign policy with the United
States and also policy about the integration to let Turkey to
be a member of the EU.
And my question to the Ambassador, you have

mentioned about importing Asian Value to Europe. What do
you understand? What is your understanding about the Asian
Value and do you make a difference between the values of
different Asian countries?
Business Day:
I come from Business Day. I have two questions.

One is just the decision of the European Supreme Court in
Europe could already arrest the people in Britain and I am
wondering about the reaction in Britain to this.
The second is the question based on demography that

Europe will become Muslim in about another 50 years I am
wondering what is your reaction to this.
H.E. David Fall:
Education, the comment first of all from Ajarn

Pornsan I am glad to hear you feel that the education in
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Europe is still highly respected as the best in the world. And

thats an aim to maintain that position as we have some of
the oldest establishment in the world. But I take the case of
the UK I cannot speak about the situation of other member
states. Some of the UKs best educational institutions are
still among the best in the world. But I think it is recognised
that there is something of a crisis in education for majority
of people in the UK. When Tony Blair came into power, he
said that the first three important issues that we have to deal
with are education, education and education.
I think that the government would probably feel that

they have not made as much progress in solving the problem
as they would like. There is a major debate going on in the
UK about education as it is in Thailand. And in Thailand
they are looking to see if the current structure fits Thailand
for the modern competitive world. Maybe the people feel the
education system needs to be changed not just to benefit the
elite but also to produce the workers and the skilled people
that are needed for an economy that must compete against
China and other countries and so on.
Asian values, what value? Do I distinguish between

different Asian countries? Well, of course, one must
distinguish between Asian countries as one distinguishes
between European countries. On Asian values there may be
linkage between educations systems. Now the UK has
millions of British citizens who are of Asian descent, second
or third generation, largely from the Indian subcontinent, but
not exclusively, many from Hong Kong and other countries.
What we are seeing is that those British Asians still

retain the traditional respect for education of their family.
Its the way forward. It s seen as an avenue to security and
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prosperity and regularly the British Asian students and

students from other countries who are studying in the UK
top the list of highest achieves in our schools and our
universities. And that tells us something. It tells us that we
have lost somehow Victorian values, for example, the
believe that education is the way forward. Thats something
to do with the reform that took place in the education in the
UK after the war. I mean, I came from the generation which
I will not get into the situation in detail, but none of my
family had been to the university and in the Foreign Office.
That was because education becomes more accessible to
ordinary people. Thats been changed again. Its the sense of
levering down rather than allowing people to come up.
Whatever the system, I would like to see an Asian approach
to education in the UK.
On the question on the European Court and its

decision being to arrest the British, I dont know Im afraid
what the reaction is, and Id rather not to speculate what it
may be. I think in the context of looking at counter terrorist
measures, there is a question mark, which has been put up
the extent to which the UK is now prepared to implement
some of the decision that we have. Is the UK prepared to go
along the track of pooling its sovereignty in judicial affairs?
I think that will be looked at again.
And will the Britain be a Muslim country in 50 years

time? Well, if you look at the British in religious terms,
Islam is a very strong religion. Christianity is in decline in
the UK and in many other western countries but not all. Its
not in decline in the United States its not, I believe, in
decline in Poland. I dont know what the situation is in other
member states. But in the UK the number of the people who
profess to be Christian and the number of people who go to
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church are a really low percentage. The Anglican Church

feels its in crisis. Whether that will remain the situation, I
dont know. And whether for example British Muslims will
retain the same sort of beliefs is an unknown. The third,
fourth, and fifth generation Muslim families may not
maintain the same strict values as previous generations.
Thai Trade Representative:
From my point of view, after one year that EU

enlarged to be 25 countries, it looks like it moves slowly
than before. Do you think that if things move ahead like this,
do you have any mechanism to push up EU to be the top
group in the world in the future?
H.E. David Fall:
Im not sure that the objective is to make EU top

group in the world. It sounds like old great power politics for
example before the First World War. But are you talking in
trade terms, mainly in terms of trade, economic and general?
The EU has huge potential and it is one of the major

trading groupings in the world. If you look at the statistics,
for example, of the trade with Thailand. My colleague from
the Commission knows more about this. The EU is one of
Thailands major trading and major investment partners.
Will we maintain that position? I think it links to what I said
about the growth of China, the growth of India. Already we
have Japan as the major economic power in this region. And
the EU has to make sure that there is a mechanism, it has
skills, it has the knowledge of Asia, to compete with Asia
with the United States and so on. This is exactly the type of
mechanism that the EU is looking at now. What type of
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mechanism does it need for the future to pull together 25 or

more member states?
One format was tried and then was rejected. Maybe

that element in the Constitution will be revised and
explained better to the people. But its going to take time.
Dont expect the EU to be transformed in two, three, five
years into leading economic power, leading political power,
leading military power. Thats much further down the track.
Questions from Participant:
I think my question is relevant to her question. I also

wonder when you trade with Asia, how can you maintain the
EU benefit? Why you want to be a good partner of Asia?
How can you compromise when you want to promote a
multilateral trade agreement with Asia?
H.E. David Fall:
The EU can be seen to be an aggressive trading

partner with Asia. We see it most recently is the problem of
how to accommodate Chinese exports to the EU. And here
you see a huge economy, which is able to produce goods
much cheaper than we can produce them in Europe. What do
you do? Do you just open your door to let these goods flood
into Europe and put factories and so on, people out of jobs?
What do you try to regulate it? I am not an economist and I
cant really I think cant give you the answer. Maybe my
colleagues from the Commission will be able to. The
Commission deals with trade and maybe would like to
comment on this. But if we look at China we have an
agreement that has been reached with China and I think one
with Japan 20 years ago whereby a certain quota was
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established and gradually then the European economy

adjusted in various ways, for example the huge emergence
of European investment going into China to build various
factories to export the product back to Europe and all around
the world.
Chittavorn, Faculty of Economics:
I am interested in the present measures of preventing

terrorism. As you all know, all the trade and economic and
tourism, which affected in Asia would not occur if there
were terrorists around the world. Then I would like to know
what position is the EU for these terrorists? And what kind
of measures that the European Commission would like to
release to prevent this terrorism? So thats the economics
and trade can flow to Asian countries and how the European
Commission would do to encourage people and invest in
Asian countries. Thank you.
H.E. David Fall:
The two separate questions I think, thank you for

your questions there. But these are the interim because
terrorism cannot be separated.
On terrorism, I can read here from some briefing I

have in front of me which said. It is an interest of all
member states to work together and with countries outside
the EU like Thailand for example to fight terrorism. So there
is a co-operation going over in the EU on countering
terrorism. And also work going on telecommunications.
How to regulate telecommunications in order to make use of
information to counter terrorism is a very difficult issue,
getting the balance right between countering terrorism and
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individual liberties. And major debate has been happening in

our countries about that at the moment.
On encouraging EU member states to invest in Asia

that you were talking about, there is no encouragement
needed I think. There is a huge demand for investment,
which is going on in Asia, especially in China at the
moment. If you just take Thailand, European countries are
major investors. If you take the EU together, its second to
Japan. I think, in Thailand investment, the UK is a leading
European investor in Thailand. So I think its economic
forces that all draw investment from Europe in this part of
the world. This is where the profit can be made from
investment. And there is another side of the coin in
encouraging Asian investment in Europe. That is really
important for the future prosperity of Europe.
I think that I can take an example of UK, which has

had huge investment from Japan, particularly in the motor
industry. It is welcome and it is encouraged, as we want to
see, we want to encourage more from Thailand for example.
Its beginning already as the Thai economy develops. That
will happen. So its a two-way thing. Its an example of
interdependent economies.
Im aware that I havent answer your question on

terrorism Im afraid. It is a debate which is going on in all of
our countries especially going on in the UK following the
London bombing. Im aware that our government is a labour
government, the last government you would expect to bring
in very severe terrorist countervailing measures. It has
brought in measures, which actually impinge on the right of
individuals to a much greater, extend that I think has
happened before. People are accepting it because people
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accept the need to prevent terrorism above individual liberty

at the moment.
Mr. Erik Habers, Charge daffairs a.i. EC Delegation:
I think both ambassadors agree the European Union

itself important to remember process in itself 50 years ago in
completely different context with completely different
objectives. Six countries getting together address issues of
coal and steel. Today we have a Union of 25 countries which
have pooled as the Ambassador said part of the sovereignty
and jointly take decision for this group of 25 as a whole. Its
the indication that the EU is not border which exists today as
a solid body. Its the indication that the EU is growing over
time. Its not something new to the Union change has been
there for the beginning 50 years ago up to today.
Therefore I think the reference that the Ambassador

made to the article in Economist I believe it was Crisis,
What Crisis? Its difficult we have seen crisis or discussion
like this before overtime with the enlargement of United
Kingdom, the enlargement of other countries Sweden,
Finland and Austria and the recent enlargement of the ten
countries. So change is inherent to the process of European
Union.
There is one more issue. You want me to address the

issue. I think one of the questions on trade and trade in the
globalised world. European Union as you know position to
discuss trade issue is always to take to multilateral approach
rather than bilateral approach.
We believe that in the end trade issue is better done

in multilateral environment. Some example I think of
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bilateral effort notably the case of Thailand with small or

medium sized countries. Discuss would last trading bloc and
not always to the benefit of small or medium-sized partners.
At the negotiation the big gun will be always on the small or
medium-sized partners. We believe that at the end the
multilateral approach both larger and smaller countries will
benefit more than in the pure bilateral approach.
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Poland as a new
member
H.E. Dr. Bogdan Goralczyk
the Polish Ambassador to Thailand
In the forthcoming event, we are looking forward to

the meeting in Kuala Lumpur, The summit of EAC East
Asian Community. Now this is the new thing that will
happen in the part of the world. What is it about joining such
a group which is perhaps even more that intergovernmental
relations?
So today we are honoured that we see Poland as a

new member of the EU member having formally joined in
May 2004. The question we would like to ask is that one-
year after joining what the feeling is, what the today result
is, if the expectation fulfilled.
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Assoc. Prof. Prathumporn Wajarastian:
Before I go on, let me say about the significant of

Poland. I see that very Central European countries has the
uniqueness, even Hungry, Romania, or any countries in
Eastern Europe which we interested in those countries very
much. There are a lot to say about the most populous
countries in the Eastern Europe. This is the first country that
had the socialist government in 1987, the first country that
has the legal discussion with the so-called communist
government in 1989, the first country that has non-
communist prime-minister in that year September and also
the first socialist country that produced the pope; John Paul
the second.
Judging form my own experience, I could say that

therere so much changes in this country. This country is
very open, I could find the Time, magazine in the bookstore,
and I could hear Elvis Presley in the country. Every time I
interview the Polish academia or politician, the discussion is
very open.
If you go further in the history, you will realise that

Poland was fighting against the big powers during the world
war. And then it came to the day that Poland had joined
NATO in 1999, and the EU in 2004. At the most populous
country Poland has a lot to gain and to lose in joining the
EU. Perhaps what we would learn from experienced Poland
is to help us to understand the bright side and the dark side
of joining the EU for one year, when the EU expands to the
smaller countries, and to the newly economic system, rather
than the old Western industrialised and democratic counties,
like the first fifteen countries before the Eastern Europe join
them.
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H.E. Dr.Bogdan Goralczyk:
Professor Prathumporn mentioned that there should

be some dark sides of the European Union. However, from
our perspective there is no dark side, there are a lot of
challenges, opportunities, and possibilities.
Let me start from one important statement: Poland

had rather harsh and painful history. Many times we were
dominated by other power sometimes even disappear from
the map and usually someone outside was making the
decision for Poland. The most important thing that made
Poland enter the EU is the will of the nation. No one ask
us to do that. In June 2003 we arranged a national
referendum, due to the requirements of the Polish institution,
because when you are delivering some part of the
sovereignty rights, you need to ask the nation about this
proposed change. At that moment I was the Chief of Staff of
the Foreign Minister. I was traveling for half a year around
Poland just to convince the society to make a right decision,
which means to join the EU. What was the reason of such
difficulty? Polish specific case we have enormous, difficult
requirement. The problem was not who will say yes, or
who will say no, the problem was the turnout. It is because
the Constitution requires that if this kind of referendum is to
be binding, it should have 50% of the society to participate
in voting, and this was a very high threshold and enormous
difficulty. By the decision of the nation we had 77.5%
voting yes. And the turnout was 59%. It was hard work of
the government. Even the Polish Pope was involved in its
final stage. The process thus, we had voluntary decision of
Poland.
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Second, we need to elaborate a little bit on the

enlargement because it is unique, unparallel, and significant.
Here you have 10 new member states. 8 out of 10 have the
post-Communist background. Due to highly complicated
process of post-Communist transformation, we have winners
and losers of this process. According to the public polls,
results, sometimes-even majority think that they are losers.
Having this kind of background, we produce the

people with the feeling of optimism and pessimism, who
came to new Europe of 25? Talking about the last
enlargement of the EU, one thing is important and need to be
raised, especially by ambassador of Poland. If you take the
map of Europe (EU), and try to compare the number of
inhabitants and the territory, Poland alone is larger than all
other nine new members combined. Thus, the last years
enlargement was important in two dimensions: that Europe
(EU) was enlarged by one bigger state nearing Poland, and
was enlarged by several smaller states. And now, due to
their different background, different capacities and
dimensions, it is not easy for all ten new member states to
create a united front, unified opinion or unified definition of
something. In many fields and areas we just have a different
approach and different understanding. There is no new book
by the name Ten New Member States of the European
Union. We just part of the EU, like others, having our
clashing frequently-national opinions and interests.
Anyhow, history taught us that we had many

movements which turned against the Communist rule. It
should be not surprising then, that Poland, a cradle of
Solidarity movements would like to see principles of
solidarity and coherence as having of foremost importance
after joining the EU. And here we have the tasks which
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appear after the enlargement. We have disparity and

development gap. According to the study of the European
Central Bank in Frankfurt, parity power of the 10 new
member states is only 54% of the average European Union,
while in case of Poland it is only 47%. We also have some
disparity among the new members, just like, by comparison,
Thailand do with the neighbours. What is the solution?
One need to tell especially here in Thailand, that first

the European Union enlargement is a process. There is no
exact date that we could specify. It is extremely complicate
process with the huge background. Today we need to come
to terms with more that 50 years of our history. And if you
are dealing with the process, one year is not enough to say
anything final, because lack of proper perspective. We can
describe only the phenomena and tendency. Nobody can
predict the final of this significant process. It is too early.
Now: the enlargement has three dimensions: First, the
enlargement proper meaning take new members, as it
happened last year. But there are two other dimensions, yet.
One is called Schengen or common border. What it means?
Well, that we are observing now some Indian and Indochina
people coming to eastern border of Poland with hope to go
further to Western Europe. We hope to join the Schengen
system of checking the borders within the year 2007.
In the EU right now we have already the common

currency, common banking system. So it is another
dimension. We have the first ever assessment of
convergence of the new members states by the European
Central Bank. It shows how we are ready to answer for
some, like low inflation and so on. The study is from
October 2004, we were assessed how we progress. Some of
the new member states, for example Slovenia, are almost
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ready in the Eurozone. In 2007 they will be in Eurozone.

None, the Polish case, as you know, we just created a new
government recently. The previous government considered
we should join the Eurozone in 2009. But the new prime
minister in his expose did not mention the date, so we have
no time frame. From my perspective, Poland will have more
difficulties that the other, smaller member states. Anyhow
85% of our public opinion is positive to get Euro as our
currency. It is a positive sign.
Now let us go to the second part of my presentation,

the effects of the enlargement. The first and most important
from our perspective is a short statement: finally we are in
the zone of prosperity and stability. From the collapse of the
Communist system, it took us more than 10 years to respond
to the Copenhagen criteria. Having in mind that the EU is
not an organisation, but entity, something we are creating by
our common effort. We have the system of value as our new
backbone: various, democracy, market economy, minority
rights, human rights a body in statu nascendi and the
readiness to be competitive. To respond for this it took us so
many years. Finally we achieved our goal and the prevailing
mood of the public opinion is positive. We were expecting
some worse thing could come, while we have here the
success story instead.
By joining the EU, we almost finalised the post-

Communist transformation. We are not dealing anymore
with communist regime. Now it is time for us to modernise
ourselves. The EU especially since 1995 when the EU Free
Trade Agreement (EFTA) has disappeared has no
alternative. So there is no other possibility for modernisation
of our region, but just to join the EU. So for the new member
states the integration with Europe (the EU) means nothing
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else but a chance for modernisation. We are with more and

more optimism looking for the future.
Third, important issue: all the new member states

have open economies. According to the data of Central Bank
in Frankfurt, the new member states are opened to the
Eurozone. 103% of GDP is created with the European zone.
We are more open than anyone could expect, which is
sometimes good, sometimes even better. Why so? Because
we have an opportunity to bring FDI. For instance, at the
beginning of transformation there was not thing like that. In
1991, the first ever when we were studying this issue in
Poland there was only 0.3% of GDP which was created by
any kind of FDI. What we have observed during the year
and a half after the enlargement is growing number of
investment. In 2003, we had 5.6 billion USD of FDI coming
to Poland. In 2004, 7.8 billion USD and the positive
tendency are visible until now. What is crucial is that we
have an open economy. In economic terms, we are strongly
European-oriented. This is to remind to those our claims
those in political terms we are almost in the American camp.
Several countries in the region have very impressive
economic growth. In Polish case we had 5.4% rate growth
last year, which is significant number in Europe. In this year
we estimate rate growth of some 4-5%.
Now about the tendencies, we were expecting for

instance, that there will be a lot of agricultural products
coming from the West. Whatever of serve, is actually vice
versa. If we want to tell about the success in Poland, offer
the EU enlargement just of all it will be in agricultural
sector. The Europe of 15 discovers after the enlargement that
the Polish farm products are of top quality, plus unspoiled by
chemistry. We have important economic relations with
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Germany, in relations with which we noted some 40% per

month growth of the Polish agricultural export after the
enlargement. So it was a real discovery: the Polish food
land. Another example prior to enlargement we were
expecting that a lot of Polish Small and Medium Enterprises
(SMEs) would collapse or be bankrupt. Not anymore, there
were growing instead. The real issue is unemployment rate it
is a headache in our country as well as in our neighbours. It
is very high rate that could destroy the stability. We knew
that there is a lot of populist politicians who were exploiting
those tremendous pains of our society, who were trying to
exploit-the sentiments of those not in favour for
enlargement: Fortunately, the positive signs after
enlargement diminished their impact and a populist
demagoguery is in decline.
Poland has territory next to the Ukraine and Belarus.

In history we were part of Central Europe. After the Second
World War, the big powers decided for us to be part of
Eastern Europe. So it is worth to mention again and again,
also have, that we part of Central Europe not Eastern Europe
anyone. We want to be in the centre not in the outskirts.
Prior to enlargement we were also afraid that we are

not very well prepared for membership, especially in
economic term, in competitiveness. It seems that after one
year and a half there is no enlargement shock in Polish
society. The enlargement of the EU in Poland is not treated
as another shock therapy. We treat it as an enormous chance,
especially for the younger generation, and educated people.
But it is important to remember that we still have the
development gap between the new and the old member
states. Also, we have another gap inside the new member
states among winners and losers of - still undergoing -
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transformation. And, we have political parties which are

standing for the winners and losers. It is the best interest of
the EU to keep an eye that is actually prevailing, just not to
undermine the process of further unification. One may say
that once again - it is the problem of solidarity and
cohesion. Yes, the new member is poorer than the old one.
So please do not be surprised if we are calling to get some
extra money or looking for some extra financial support.
Now is the third part of my presentation. If we want

to be entity, we should be united for a common goal. With
bringing of ten new member states, we have bigger common
market and bigger opportunities. Instead of 300 million
inhabitants, we have 450 million inhabitants. So we have
bigger market with enormous opportunities due to the fact
that the new members have open market economies. This is
the new attractive dimension to producers from Western part
of Europe, and vice versa.
However, the other side of the same coin is the

growing competition among member states. Not everyone is
ready for this competition: someone is weaker, someone is
stronger and here no one has a crystal ball to tell what the
proper way to deal with this issue is. This is a tendency that
we need to discuss deeper.
Once again we have in front of us a crucial dilemma

of the former 15 states: deepening or widening. Now we are
widening. But the problem is how to deepen our institutions.
Because there are still some institutions created to for the
initial member states. So we have the problem which we are
observing during this current year. We want to deepen our
institutions to adjust ourselves to the new circumstances and
situations. While the answer in 2 specific cases, in the
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Netherlands and France shows what kind of challenge to the

old members is. We, in Poland and in new member states,
did our exercise to become member. Before our referendum,
we were trying to inform our people for them to know what
the EU mean. It is exactly important for us to understand,
why public opinion in the Netherlands and France say no to
the enlargement. One can guess that they believe that they
need to pay for the budget of the enlargement. It is so simple
because in fact they do not realise the significance of
enlargement. No one informed them. It is now one of the
greater challenges for the whole Europe, especially for the
15 members of previous EU.
The forth part of the presentation is the significance

of the enlargement. In my opinion, the most significant is the
institutional unity of Europe. More Europe means more and
more independent player playing a single role on the world
market. It has a lot of meaning, especially from the South-
East Asia countries perspective. Further problem of ours is
that we need to think in the Union in larger terms. It is not
only the question of new members, but also how to bring
closer to us our new neighbourhood coming together with
the new neighbours. For instance, what is necessary for us,
acting as an independent body, is to clarify our meaning,
the European Union position toward post Communist
territories of the Soviet Union. We still have no common
position in this particular field. Of -so called- Eastern
dimension of our common policy while the problem of
neighbourhood could bring completely different perspective
to our further discussions.
Finally, Polish Thai relations, I have here with me

the statistic concerning our bilateral relationship. Ii is on
display here I would like to add just a few remarks. Poland
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as a new member of the EU is in favour of discussion to

create free trade zone Thailand-the EU. What are necessary
are the high level visits, not only within the framework of
relations with the EU, but also bilateral relations. Here, the
major obstacle is lack of knowledge of each other. We
cannot move forward without resolving this question. That is
why we are strongly supporting of common afford to do
something by the EU. At last we have an opportunity to
participate in the event. It is very good.
The second important problem is lack of the mutual

community in our countries. More and more the Polish,
Czech, and other tourist from central Europe are coming to
Thailand. But unfortunately the only book that we have on
display is just a guide book. It is not enough in the field we
have another challenge to overcome. Finally, we need to
have direct flight? In the end, I think that we can be good
partner considering the growing of the role of both Poland
and Thailand in our regions.
Ambassador of United Kingdom:
But Id like to be in my capacity of their academic

profess as well. So we have a fruitful co-operation today is
and other proof of that. And Im looking for what to
participate in some other events an occasions. Actually, they
will call British Ambassador we were here just few days
ago. Friday, were attending another function here at Chula.
So we are trying to do the best and thank you Professor
Charit because that was you are doing it also for us not only
for yourselves so we are happy, proud and you can count on
me anytime as you know that I will come here to attend to
participate to discuss to be opened.
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Ambassador of Hungary:
I think we have a lot to learn from each other. Poland

is particularly close to my heart next to Hungary because of
the long history and its difficult history that Poland has
which I learned in school. It shows that a nation does not
have to have continuously clarified toward us to feel to have
its own identity, actually, so adversity you become a strong
nation and Poland had proven that over centuries. It is very
much European; I agree that it should be considered the
Centre for European country. It is surprising so, the
professor did not mention. There is another specific to
Poland or at least the Polish plumbers may have to be
blamed for sawing the constitution out off the window. So
do the French both but I think this is an episode?
The question which regards to adjustments is

unemployment agriculture. We have gone in after so the
same processes. We have felt to we lose about 5% of
unemployment after joining the Union in the first towardly
is. But then over the years, we were gained 100 thousand no
jobs so twice as much as we was lose. So these adjustments
are very difficult to foresee or to adjust.
On the agriculture things, I think, Poland is on the

right which regards to reform. It should be able to manage in
the new fund as respective to treat a regional and agricultural
funds as one namely to help the new member states. Mainly
with regards to infrastructure and transformation of whole
society into manufacturing also this oriented economy that
takes time, takes education and takes necessary wheel. Its
the Western Europe ready to pay for it. I think, we are. It is
surprising that in the end, we own benefits we have obtained
for the 10 new member states mainly because they gave us a
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feeling of security. And Europe has not been reunited. Its

the first time in history ever even before Schliemann Europe
has and human and social extension. I want to ask Polish
Ambassador if he could maybe talk about what the Polish
church and Polish spirituality and science research
community feel about membership.
I really appreciate your comments. I need to add that

we are familiar with the story of Spain, when the
unemployment rate was pararel to unemployment rate of
Poland immediately after the enlargement. And we know
well what have happened in Spain afterwards. So that from
this perspective it is promising.
Let me show my comments this way: we didnt

create the European Union. Within it we have so called four
freedoms. Its not only trade; it does also create free trade of
capital of services and of labour of people. Here I need to
undermine that very strongly, especially that our British
colleague is here with us today because only Great Britain
Ireland and Sweden have opened their labour market for the
Polish citizens immediately after the enlargement. As the
university professor, I had a lot of student of mine staying in
London. I can give you an example. We will remember this
unfortunate terror attack in London in early July this year.
We had 52 victims there and 3 out of them Polish young
girls in the subway in London. So once again, London,
which was the home city for Polish people during the
Second World War provide us, the Poles, some support and
give us new opportunities.
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Now, something someone, also in the media, is

against these Polish people. But not the mainstream because
there are necessary and useful to British public opinion,
usually there educated graduates of universities and they are
cooperating. What more: they are not stay there forever.
They are just try to learn English, to get some skills and try
to come back. So, this is an example of fruitful co-operation.
Now, lets mention the issue of the academic community
because its not so complicated. Im on the leave from the
academic institution which is a counterpart of Professor
Charits Centre for European Studies. Im having a full
employment in one of major Polish universities, Warsaw
University Centre for Europe, where Im dealing among
other, with the problems of globalisation. From this
perspective, I know that Poland is specific country.
Usually in many countries like here in Thailand, we

have clear division between the capital city and the
countryside. Bangkok is so large. So one can define:
Bangkok is not Thailand, Thailand is not Bangkok; Budapest
is not Hungary, Hungary is not Budapest. A little bit
different situation is in Poland where you have several
centres. You cannot claim that Warsaw is the most important
city in every dimension, and especially in academic life. We
have Krakow, the old capital of Poland. We have Gdansk
harbour of Solidarity movement. We have Wrdow and
there are many other academic centres. So Poland is
diversified. But I know these centres from my personal
experience and I know that almost everyone there is in
favour of the European Union. We have, there, a lot of
places, academic communities, and ready to accept you. And
now I go to the question of the Church. Well, Poland was
and still is so proud to have Polish Pope. Polish Church, to
put it simply, is political factor within the framework of
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Polish democracy. You like it or not are the political factor.

Some 97% of society claim to be Catholic. So we have
almost no religious minorities staying in Poland. So the
church is powerful and you need to count with it. And now
we have political scene and part of this political scene is
joining the Church. Some political parties are trying to use
the Church as an umbrella institution with the huge tradition.
Sometimes it is very positive because what is

necessary for us during this painful transformation process,
combined with globalisation, modernisation, European
Union integration, joining NATO, joining European Union -
so many things at the same time is necessity to have some
stability, and the Church is the stability factor. This is major
part of answer for your question. Dont be surprise that
someone is searching for pillars stability. The other problem
is that the Polish Church needs to modernise. While for
some time it was frozen as an institution, party because of
enormous and powerful role of the Polish Pope, who was, is
and will be for many decades to come the most popular and
most influential person in the history of Poland. So he, as an
individual, was so significant for the country and its citizens
with nobody else to be compared.
Now, when our Polish Pope has passed away, the

problem of the Church has emerged. Its mainly an internal
issue of the Church as the institution: how to adjust itself for
the requirements of the European Union. And once again,
like during my answer for David Fall, I cannot deliver to you
one established point of view of Poland in this particular
case, because we have many opinions on this topic. Maybe
not the full Colors of Benetton, maybe not the whole
rainbow, that we have a lot of colors is definitely so.
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Finally we are discussing that problem, which is

necessary to discuss. And probably it will on the agenda for
another decade or so, because here you have the process as
well. Anyhow, it is true, that to understand contemporary
Poland without a factor of Polish Catholic Church is almost
impossible.
Im Mary. I like Poland like you from my school

days when I met my husband and outstanding Pole as well.
We have been married for more than 50 years. We lived in
Thailand for 50 years. We have got Polish. Im French. We
have got all the tradition, custom of the Polish country in our
family. The Polish community here is very small but I must
said that all of them 100% keeping all the beautiful human
values which I take like national characteriselistic of the
Polish country, strong view and the quality of solidarity. If
something happen to the community you can count of every
member to participate and help. So this is what I want to say
and we are very agreeing for this kind of meeting. I knew it
from the newspaper but I think a bit more promotion can
welcome. There are many members whom I contacted with
this morning didnt know about it. Thank you again.
Thipparat Bupphasiri:
Im Thipparat bupphasiri from the Faculty of

Political Sciences at Ramkhamhang University. First of all, I
would like to tell you that Ive been in Poland in May this
year.
My first time as normal tourist a kind of backpacker.

Im really appreciated Polish hospitality. My question is
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about transatlantic relation. Politically, Poland has seen as an

American state as you mentioned. So the question is what is
Poland stand in transatlantic relation?
Let me start this way. We have a new Minister of

Defense of Poland. He spent his last 4 years in one of the
major institutions in Washington DC but he is just 40 years
old and is Oxford educated. So, this is part of the answer: we
have Oxford educated Americanise Pole.
But the serious answer sounds like that: its

necessary to explain why the Polish are so strongly, almost
like the British and maybe sometimes even more pro-
Atlantic. Well, the part of the explanation that Poland has an
enormous big Polish community in the US. Chicago is
treated as the second Polish city around the world, where we
have approximately 1 million of citizens of Chicago of
Polish origin. According to different estimations we have
approximately 10 million of US citizens that are of Polish
origin. That explains why the US is so important factor in
the Polish foreign policy.
Second, even at the beginning of the American

Revolution, Polish Generals were acting items there like in
Hungarian revolution (of 1848). If we had any items to
export, those were mainly Polish Generals, sometimes even
Polish King in front of Vienna gates. From here comes
Polish tradition and slogan: for our freedom yours. So,
another important issue is our common tradition and
conception of history.
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Third dimension you need to understand is more

sophisticated but important: Poland has the longest
borderline with the territories of those countries, regions
which in the years to come will not be part of both NATO
and the European Union. So for Poland external security this
is an important factor. In our strong opinion, including
myself of ambassador as a private person, the only security
guarantee to Poland is NATO.
As far as for you our European Common Foreign and

Security Policy (CFSP) is still just an emerging factor. Yes,
we have a lot of positive signs we can describe. We as the
EU went already to Afghanistan, to Macedonia, and
Balkans. Anyhow, one need to agree that we in Europe, we
are still searching for external security and in our Polish
opinion- only NATO can guarantee it. I am not convinced
that everyone here is familiar with in the name of SIPRI -
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. This is the
institution which is dealing with security and armaments.
There is publishing a very influential Yearbook. When you
take some recent issue of it you can figure out those
armaments expenditures of the US alone is bigger than 9
other countries combined in the first ten in this category. So
the US is the security factor, which is also crucial for our
external security. On the other hand, one needs to add
immediately, and what was mentioned here during my
speech, that our domestic or internal security only Europe
counts.
Poland is part of Europe. Poland is in Europe. We

will not go to Alaska or some other Caribbean states. We
will stay here where we are and we are the Europeans. So,
yes, the security external means for us NATO and this is
explanation for our transatlantic link, but on the other hand
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we need a strong relationship with the European Union, just

because of our Europe on political position. Actually,
sometimes ago it was a traditional curse in Polish language:
Between Russia and the Germany, We were invaded once
from one side, once from the other or sometimes both at the
same time. Only now, of this junction, Poland being a bridge
between Russia and Germany, can properly exploit our
position, our Borderlines as part of both the European Union
and NATO. And this is why Polish public opinion, Polish
citizens are more and more in favour of joining the European
Union.
Ambassador Thakul Panich:
I have no question for Ambassador Goralczyk. Im

Thakul Panich, Ambassador designated to Poland. I look
forward to assuming my position there. Im so pleased to be
here today to learn quite significantly about Poland from the
every Ambassador here. Just information you talk about the
lack of knowledge or the lack of people to people contact
here. I have an old friend from Chulalongkorn days and he
had translated to book written by Polish author Sitthichai
Sankrachang one of your student also. He complained to me
that this kind of book is not a best seller in Bangkok but this
is just a start.
Well I would like to thank the Centre for European

Studies to give me this opportunity to come to this Special
Lecture and then I quite agree with you that to promote
knowledge between the 2 countries and also to promote one
of the good ways to promote knowledge about each other
maybe the high level visit. We have discussed about this. I
can ensure you when Im in Warsaw or Wachawa the Polish
people prefer I will try my best to promote people to people
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contact and I will take liberty of calling you from time to

time so we can help pulling the string or put each other from
capital.
Assoc. Prof. Prathumporn Wajarastian:
Since we have about 5 minutes, may I privilege to

ask to the last question if there is no moving and shaking
question further? My first question is that during the service
Union time several decades before, Poland had depended so
much on Russia service union economically and after
joining the EU it seems that in the year to come youve been
offered so much from the new friends from the west. So I
wonder, at the moment, what do you still depend
economically on new Russia?
The second question, I just come across a piece of

news in the press just recently that after you join the EU
when the border is opened for freedom, people moving
around several recognised professors courses in English
something like MBA or very popular courses like that have
moved to Poland if not permanently but for the certain time
to offer courses in English in several recognised University
in Poland so for the benefit of Thai students I wonder if our
student could go there and study the English course in
Poland and I wonder in what manner that we have to pay to
the course in Euro or your Slotty?
The answer for the first question, Mineral resources

are still very important in export from Russia to Poland.
Poland has a lot of coal and coal mines. We are famous
around the world for that. But we have no natural oil and
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gas. We are still importing some 95% of gas from Russia,

the territory of Russian Federation and some 75-80% of oil.
So this is not diversified. We had a lot of discussions on this
issue recently. We want to diversify our sources, for instance
we are starting to import oil from Kazakhstan.
Anyhow, we have and recognise a problem of

diversification of coming oil and gas. Also, because of that,
we have very unfavourable trade with Russia. So yes we still
have a lot of things to do in economic field. Now the
question concerning one I can tell you that at the University
and some private schools Im familiar with in Poland we are
teaching in English and doesnt matter how do you pay your
fee. You can bring even Thai Baht. Its convertible so its
not the problem. Just bring some money and bring bright
people. We will kindly welcome them. It is already decided
that several Thai study groups will go to Poland, to polish
academic institutions. So I am looking forward to another to
be organised by your institution. We are open. I need to add
that maybe not in my generation but younger in our country
speak absolutely fluent English. So there is also no problem
of teaching. Especially, that even we have many graduates
from Western institutions, and - as I already mentioned -
even some ministers, cabinet members are Oxford
graduated. So we have more and more people educated in
Western Europe and we are prepared in this particle field to
be a real part of Europe. As far as financial requirements are
concern, it depends from the institution but I suppose the
prices are comparable with the best academic institutions
here in Thailand.
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Your lecture, Excellency, as the new inducted to the

EU when year so far, I would like to ask you what is Poland
features expectation being a player in it European Union
what s the expect place to be in European politic as well as
whether Poland would be an active supporter in an induction
of new member state?
We are already a player and we want to be even

stronger player definitely, like anyone of us. What had
happened? When you take into consideration the
significance of last enlargement you brought Poland as the
sixth largest European Union members state after Great
Britain, France, Italy, Spain and Germany. So Poland is the
sixth largest country within the EU and we would like to
play a major role, we are knocking at the door to play a
major role in the European Union.
Im not excluding that maybe even during my term

here one of diplomat could come here to represent the
European Commission here in Bangkok, while being a Pole.
Why not? This is possible. Yes, we are knocking at the door.
We would like to be properly represented in the European
institutions, in the bureaucracy in Brussels, where already
more and more people from Poland is there. Of course,
Polish voice will be a strong one. You like it or not but we
have our strong identity, we have our rather rich European
background and having that in mind we will strongly vote
for national interests from time to time like many others.
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Of course, we will recognise the interests of the

European Union as such. Sometimes we need to vote not
only for ourselves, the Poles, but we need to behave like
Europeans. This is an educational process for our society, for
us. Hopefully, we produce more and more Europeans. So we
need to have more Europeans by conviction. Unfortunately,
this is another enormous challenge, it is like an operation
and surgery on mentality of the people, so it will take time.
Maybe generation or more it is another story, for another
discussion, another lecture of mine, if you will be so kind
enough to invite me here again.
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Haghia Sophia
Istanbul, Turkey
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Turkey: Road to EU
H.E. Mmin Alanat
the Turkish Ambassador to Thailand
H.E. Mmin Alanat:
Excellencies, Dr. Sumet, distinguished ladies and

gentlemen. Its a great pleasure to be here, to be with you on
this special lecture on Turkey EU relations. Ill be very
honour to be in the room of East Asia institution at
Chulalongkorn University and its my sweet time when I
was also victory for showing opinion in my speech before
coming to Bangkok. Id like to share EU during 2 years
before I came here so I run occasionally to be done location
in public alliance and Id like to share my experience and
inside information they say some day on what we were
doing during these years. So I remember the nice memory of
this and I hope that I have experience to them. I thank you
for inviting me to this special lecture.
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I hope that in the limited time we have here I want to

contribute understanding and may be develop better than to
Turkey - EU relations. I think I can also beginning in
mention my all experience in militaries.
I started in 1967 exactly in the Europe leading with

Turkey EU relations. EU was EEC at that moment
European permanently and we had the second stage of the
speech of our relations and then I got the change of the
serving in the republic of Germany during the period that we
had the negative relations due to internal development in
Turkey mentally take on board on intervention
administration and we tried all best to plan from Germany to
improve or to restart about the relations. Before going to
another course at that time we negotiated the decision for
relations of the Custom Union in European Union because in
1995 for 2 years I got discharge on this relation. I also
continued to technical preparation of Turkey for examination
of achieve and I like Turkey to achieve. So I hope that I
would be my life time be also the combination of the
approach and the accession of Turkey to Europe soon and I
hope to see the development also. I just want to mention that
people in fifteen for the combination of this process but I
complicated that integrate much than these time and as soon
as Turkey is ready I think that decide forum of the
implementation of the decision so this is for the introversion.
I have to part of the relations, Turkey and the result

of multi-cultivation. We trained our republic of the
development in First World War in 1923 we progressed our
republic and may be consideration stabilisation in Turkey. It
moved on to start earlier but with the republic we said we
approved the second system of our move in Turkey. We
adapted the relations approach to the public administration.
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We approved for improvement of democratic well prize

though its in difficulties in introducing of the public system.
We did it on the second purpose and this development we
were the position to share with Europe of democracy and
human rights. On this basis we participated may be on
organisation we have created jointly in Europe on the second
purpose and we participated to consider Europe to be OECV
and to medical of the route and then the creation of the
European Economic Community was that Turkey created a
special attraction on becoming or taking part in this process
also.
The track taken by Turkey was just after our

neighbour Turkish publication for becoming member of the
European Union in 1959. At that time we had also some
internal development it took sometime to get the reaction of
the European Economic Community and to sometime also to
finalise the compromise we found together. The application
for becoming full member at that time was in terms of
joining if we decided to form an association with Europe.
We signed the agreement in 1963 but this agreement we put
the main objective as we Turkey accession to Europe
constancies of Turkey permanent. We implemented the
approach agreement and we can say that the stage in role of
government of Turkey was more political than economic
because the economic reasons were that we were having the
chance of trade relations with European countries and we
also had 6 countries initial countries forming the EEC but
still the political aspect to our move was more combination.
We also were following some ways the approach of this
made move that we followed. I dont want to may be to
repeat we take but after the implementation in 1963 we had
the final objective Turkey becoming full member but we
have also perceived some screen how to develop relations
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toward this final goal. We decision for mention of the

Custom Union in 3 bases within variable 22 years time we
shared establish between Turkey and EEC to Custom Union.
We started the initial phase regional of previous.
Then it came the period valuable supported to

elaborate to pix for realising the Custom Union at that
moment it was in 1970. So after the negotiation we signed
the additional protocol to the agreement. The additional
protocol is for solve the mortality of information of the
Custom Union. Its time to mention from the start we
actually approached the additional protocol EEC decided
abolish all the custom tariff and pause of the contract
restriction. From the Turkey side we have established 2
currents.
One, for previous deviation of custom duties on some

in the period of previous and for protection of others some
sensitive industries, we also guarantee in 2 years. I
remember of this phase because Europe asked to prepare this
and we started white line in the ministry to country to person
register of each item I mean we got some recommence from
product report from EEC and also some advice from
specialist which industries we had to protect longer than
others. During these years just after decided also, I
remember one application on the Turkish business one of the
biggest rule.
Every time we created some special longer

production of issues to produce in type of production they
were asking to that in this item this produce should be
moved from years business to 22 years business. We said
its longer and we had some credibility in changing many
change from one is harder and then in this sector prove their
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successful and there was no need to change this item from

the short period protection to be from the one.
Just to continue, we started the period reduction in

our custom duties but we had development in Turkey - EU
relations and Turkey on this relations with other countries
especially Greece, Greece would like to be the full
membership in 1974 and this became the perfective in 1981.
During this period we had difficulties in Turkey approach in
our relation with EU and many think Turkey that devote
during that period, according to some reduce we learn
response to choose at that time with Greece for becoming
full member but we didnt do this because of internal
reasons.
We had the coalition in Turkey with 2 party

coalitions and one of the aliment was the strongly guess
from Turkey accession to Europe and the other coalition was
enough to make this move so its resistible and after this also
some military development in Turkey so our relations were
limited put on the Greece the same but earlier to this also we
had the government in Turkey. We had many changes in
government and we had many governments in this period.
One of the leader who was the prime minister at that
moment say socialist government in some day and they
approached that we should please the implementation of
obligation in reducing the custom tariff in EEC and we
decided to do so.
So in 1978 there was the pleasing of publication on

the additional protocol. So we had trouble in Turkey. We
had internal problems. There was some political turmoil in
Turkey. Some activities by gave and rise and reach of
general political and political circle and also other
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development. So we had paper by military in 1983. During

this period also you can imagine that we had problems with
EEC and we had our problems with council of Europe also
but with EU the problems were limited and EU new Turkey
they should do a liberation the Turkish government in
general to get an early return to democratic administration to
create relations.
It happened in 1983 and it started in this year. We

had some improvement in our relations within European
Union, European Economic Community at that time. Then
government which took over Turkey administration in 1983
was limited by result prominent economist he was adapted to
the planning organisation in Turkey. During the negotiation
of our additional protocol the planning organisation once
public became scientist protocol and we had the internal
difficulties I member best but in became political reverse
and then we took over the administration of the country in
1983.
It changed its approach to our relations with Europe.

It changed its general approach to economic policies in
Turkey, to reapply in Turkey. Earlier we was more states
controvert policies but after the talk we should change to
more liberal economic policies and introduced many defaults
in Turkey in economic view and we had the approach we
also had the full membership to European Economic
Community. It was in 1987. This formal publication was
developed by our partners and we criticized by being ready
quick and the time early perforation of the public opinion or
governments member countries of EU.
Nowadays the commission and the community had to

perceive this application and the commission had to prepare
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opinion on this application and mainly the commission

develop very big development gap between Turkey and the
EU and it established the additional Turkey to Europe.
Nevertheless the commission also agreed that Turkey was a
country eligible to become full member of the European
Community and also the commendation was there by
commission was that Turkey and the community should
come together and completed the custom union between
themselves.
After this development, we had period in our

relations. We had some perforation and we had some of
them close also in 1990s between 1990 to 1995 we tried to
move closer. We started this period just to think about the
implementation of custom union. We started to create some
additional instruments or bodies to implement the
obligations. So we had a decision together with the
European Union to create this community to combats, talks
and works to prepare the decision for completing for
completing the implementation of the custom union because
it was established in 1992 and then afterward we started
devote and then the negotiation we reached the long decision
on the monetary of the custom union because the longer text
and it was by Turkey by the European side and we gave into
goal on 1st January 1996.
After this agreement, we had closer relations in the

communities with Europe and then on defense of this
relations, Europe also the position of expect some movement
in our application for full membership. But we gained this
period which approach the custom union our decision in
custom union.
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We had also in Turkey, many governments, coalition

governments in Turkey so why we had one leader in private
story of pushing forward and in terms of our relations. The
second was just trying to hole in best and even we had the
very strong approach from one leader who was a partner
coalition related mainly the prime minister in Turkey. So we
tried to improve Turkish policies and the tradition policies
toward other relations. Nevertheless we had also changed
again in government we had another coalition government
and now because of the term again in mid 1970s as a person
of the publication the implementation of publications toward
European Union.
Now, for the political reasons and the changing these

approaches, we try to improve Turkey relations with Europe
and also try to introduce some informs in political views and
for opinion the gaps or respond with some criticism next
crisis on the European side in the people who Turkey
practices in human rights and also in relations with other
issues. So we had also in 1999 in Turkey. This also created
positive psychological on the cycle of the community also
and to consider to evaluate again Turkey application to
membership and we had disarmed in 1999 summit. This
summit Turkey was accepted cultivate country to
acceptation and on the same condition in the other countries.
We had the decision also some liberation for becoming full
member to European Union. Turkey had duty of fulfill
Copenhagen criteria which was decided earlier. This
criterion was denominated in 2 chapters. One was political
criteria and the second was economic criteria. In political
chapter or criteria on this item, Turkey was already the
country was expected toward stable democratic system with
properly tradition and this system should provide for and
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respect for human rights and also protection of minorities in

country.
The second criteria was economic criteria, Turkey

and other countries were expected to have a functional
market economy and we expected also to fulfill to be able to
assume all the obligations in become full member. This
included able to accept in main policies in political,
economic and monetary union as decided by European
Union. This is the creation development in Turkey EU
relations so acceptation Turkey as a country on the same
basis with other candidates. After this, Turkey, we had the
implementation of this decision. We had other European side
the decision for the acceptation partnership document to
prepare Turkey to the full membership and they replied on
Turkish government to this move by additional of donation
programme for additional EU achieve in Turkey.
We had also in development, we had last year

December summit and during this summit the secret
decision on Turkey was confirmed and the council into
consideration all the reforms implemented in Turkey during
this period in political view, in economic view and they
came to the completion that the liberal reforms realising by
Turkish government was secretion enough to consider
Turkey was fulfill political criteria and then they decided to
start acceptation negotiation with Turkey on October 2005
and the negotiation we started on this day.
Now the EU council also requested that the

commission prepared some more documents to conciliate the
implementation of this decision. For other countries that
would be again innovation accession partnership and that
would be progress report and also the negotiation framework
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document and also talked the request from the information to

prepare documents for conductive political and cultural
divert between Turkey and European Union. So I can see
that the practical started after this decision, we had chill out
of steady process all that had been done between Turkey and
European Union. We had for previous on realising of the
first steady process. This is a science and research, education
and culture, public document and competition and the
second time we had process what science and research and
culture and predication.
On the basis of these talks the commission is prepare

default to the council and the decision of we made ideal to
open negotiations in these chapters to pick some mention
each would be realised for the negotiation. I think that
according to some decoration, this process probably take one
year and the duration of the negotiations as I talked earlier a
number of periods but I hope its shorter than many think.
For the duration with Europe I had to think some advantages
of Turkey joining Europe. We took advantages and also
some obstacles which we had to overcome in our relations
and also some difficulties. I have to be very realizing on this
issue.
First of all, in advantages of Turkey joining Europe

and we can some analysis on the 2 chapters. In economic
and trade view, the advantages that we should we are
actually more than 50% of our foreign trades with European
countries, with EU 25 members and then we study science in
our relations. For the export grouping which started in 1952
I had figures for the 2004 I had mention for example in 2004
we had our exports to European Union 55% of our total
exports and our imports from European Union were 47% of
our total imports. They steady increased in our exports and
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imports to Europe and from Europe. I had some figures total

I had mention for example that all exports to Europe have
been 97.6 billion Euro and our imports from EU have been
36.5 billion EURO. So we had strong probation list to
Europe. I think the economic development in Turkey they
say large margin in Turkey in investment, in trade fee, in
creational job and regional development. All of these, in my
opinion, we should have strong to improve economic
relations with Europe.
In political view, I think the accession of Turkey to

Europe created advantages onto both sides. First of all, the
advantages we expected from Turkey from joining Europe
mainly improving the general political system in Turkey. We
had the basic, common, general platform in Turkey but in
some areas we needed to introduce the permanent reforms to
improve the administration in human rights, the protection of
minorities and what we did since last 3 years in history was
enough to fulfill the political criteria but for put the
implementation of this reform and also fulfill the gaps in
circle very small areas, we still needed some reports on our
side.
I think we did the perspective of Turkey accession to

Europe. We shared more information to continue and to
better our practices in this view and I think also in general
we should have the advantages of aligning our registration in
economic view, in social view, in other view which covered
by EU registration to EU achieved. These fulfill the
advantages to Turkey to public benefits from the common
wisdom and the experience development realised within
Europe.
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In some view, we did our job, I remember the

discussions we had for the analytical examination of Turkey
and we conducted with the commission earlier. I remember
the talks for example some special sectors we noticed that in
some areas we must had what expected from Turkey and just
mention for example the registration in Turkey for stock
exchange.
I was very happy to see that all the Turkish

registrations introduced in this sector were very much in like
with the general registration value in EU countries. In some
areas we had some practices for the implementation we were
going beyond what expected from us in some areas what I
remember for example talks about Turkish preparation in the
financial sector, public finances. I remember the remarks by
our commission for this that they talked our preparation to
introduce full base law to control the public understanding
and to the very high standard. They said nobody in European
Union, no countries had such a develop approach all
regarded congratulations from them. I remember the
registration in Turkey in environment issues so it happen
some small modifications. I think that the perspective which
is now open in Turkey will use all Turkish administrations to
redesign all the presentation or I would say subspecialty but
some in their mind develop Turkey accession to Europe.
Now its created and Turkish administration is ready to go
on full speed in every period to restart. So this is an
advantage for Turkey.
It would be also the advantages for European Union

as we shared the same values with Europe the rest chapter so
Turkey became full member of Europe with the expansion of
these values to an area, to the region. Were just very
important to import for Europe also and complete to
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contribute the development of this region, to the stability of

this region and to the prosperity of the region.
I can imagine what would happen Turkey would be

full member in the countries in our region. I think that this
would have to Europe to have the impulse expanded beyond
to be actual scope. On this chapter also said that we had also
some obstacles on our reign just to mention mainly few of
them. We had 2 main obstacles into my mind.
One is the relations of Turkey with Greece, say that

the silence problem. This issue would around also optimist I
can say that in our relations with Greece which started when
develop available we were conducting expand to the talks
and tried to find the solution of the problems.
To Cyprus question, Turkey showed that we worked

for the solution of the problem on the item for read directly
they took on the one common umbrella. Despite Turkey said
in approach they said in this side rejected it and now I think
Turkey say much better position in this issue and they
receive and support discussions to find solution to the
problem. So I think this issue should be considered on the
EU development in our relations.
Of course, our 2 issues Greece and Cyprus as the

member of European Union have privileges in comparison
in Turkey, privileges position in the EU. They have the
advantages of being commander and they also being part of
the decision in the EU but I think the general interest of
European Union as a whole should relevant to come to
decide on the final decision on Turkey accession to Europe. I
think that they think to move toward compromise access in
whole these issues and this is my personal strong believe and
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I hope that the wish of people in Europe and Turkey

administration together to show the join common destiny
privilege and then the decision would be taken with support
and contribution of 2 countries which are close neighbours.
This is my opinion, my optimising. I was always optimist in
our relations we had time to some close together which we
started in which we chose and we shared many tasks. They
were also criticising me of being still optimist on this issue. I
think we had to be otherwise tunicate of the strong
commissions and also the address of Turkish nation, the
main role of integrating to Europe.
So this is what I have may be to tell to you. I should

be relaxed lecture as it should be because I had a scholar. I
try to share with you what I have experienced and also my
assessment.
I think this is enough for the introduction and for the

lecture. If you have questions, Im ready to try to answer you
all these questions. Thank you.
H.E. Friedrich Hamburger, Ambassador of Delegation of

European Commission:
First I would like to say that Turkey is a European

country because of joint easily with Europe. Since many
centuries, it has been a European empire together with the
British, the French and Reduction Empire and we should
have a long history as cultural tradition together.
Secondly the European Union doesnt shine

challenges and difficulties as you may realise whether
bureaucracy of WTO while negotiation going on was the
discussion which culminating now in the European Council
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on other budget. The referendum of the constitution which

didnt go well in France and the Netherlands to hope in the
end of putting down the European project destruction chose
the negotiation which is started now with Turkey we seen as
in trouble of difficulty but other see as the challenge. Turkey
started out the century after the First World War becoming a
secreted European country which increasing of great
significant since after Turkey prepared its safer to play role
and to become part of powerful of the European society.
So for this reason, the European Commission on this

part welcomed the application for accession and after a
number of negative opinions mainly based on the economic
readiness of the country. We had the positive opinion and
including also the assessment of the support Copenhagen
criteria. Since about the year 2000 European member states
failed that Turkish candidate should be taken seriously and
Turkey should be held in fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria
and in approaching its legal system to the European achieve.
Of course it seems to be done I would say mention that in
certain sense Turkey went beyond of what expected from it
but in the end we took what expected more than were
fulfillment of the achieve in the past. Thats a key of course
observing use political situation. The best of dimension are
democracy, human rights, freedom of the media, the
guarantee of minority rights and of course the establishment
of friendly relations with all members of European Union
and its neighbourhood and thats what Turkey has a number
of things to do but the present government seems to be
prepared to go and make things like this action. Of course
they have been happy if the sample problem to have already
been solved because of this negotiation but we are confident
that Turkey is staying with steps and does not weak too long.
It would make many other things easier.
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Turkish membership indeed prepared not only on

successful negotiations but also have been discussed recently
especially after the referendum in France and the
Netherlands. The European Public has to be convinced that
Turkish membership is actually of mutual membership to
Turkey and Europe so it has to be done in this direction. For
this reason I think we have to a company the negotiations
which transparent system of implementation, cultural
exchanges, economic exchanges can only an opinion those
cultural exchanges and getting to know Turkey as European
country. I think it is my comments to this and Im quite
happy to answer this question. I think they should first
directly to Turkish ambassador. Thank you.
I would like ambassador all to clarify viewpoint

about the negotiation process of Turkish discussion but is it
correct that the negotiation be got the modality of Turkey
profession which already completely and now moving
toward the negotiation of the prospect is the first create
profit and so for the fulfill that has been restarted trying to
research culture education public procurement and I think to
this from the competition.
H.E. Mmin Alanat:
I think officially the negotiations have started

modality of these negotiations created 2 sides to come
together to perceive the supreme process and the first test of
this supreme process in commission economic decide
express in achieve in the special chapter to the candidate
country.
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The second stage the Turkey side the candidate

country prepare the same issue and then in explain the
situation of the registration in this view the actual speech of
the registration and what is missing between Turkish and the
community registration. How intend to fulfill the gaps and
what perceive for the complete of accepting country to
European registration. So this is the 2 bases in final role then
come the assessment place information on the basis of these
talks prepared in fault to the council. If the commission fined
satisfactory the talks can purpose the opening of negotiation
in these chapters.
If it is not satisfy, we understand that it might

purpose some benchmarks for example the acceding country
or candidate country should fulfill with main gaps which is
gone far than we talked and after the completion to these
benchmarks the completion negotiation on these chapters
would be opened. This is my understanding. So this is what I
talked about in the last issue with competition.
Question from Participant:
Whats your mention fulfill in which Turkey as

expectations for the most specific on that?
H.E. Mmin Alanat:
I had that about Turkey technical ready the

commission develop and it become all achieve all the
chapters in these talks and the chapters in some areas the
registration prepared by Turkey side should introduce to the
parliament.
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I would mention the role about to public finance,

public establish. I dont remember exactly but our Turkish
administration from some sample from other circle some I
talked to these they said that we can introduce, we can be
implemented but this go beyond to what expected from
Turkey in this view and thats what I mean and I think what
join the European Union we shared our contribution also to
go beyond what achieve in Europe and for the preparation in
countries we might purpose to go beyond what achieve and
whats the major been you know you can purpose the new
earlier, new amendment the achieve and this is one of that
issue to press accession in role in all the natural system.
Thank you.
As that mention of Turkey enhances reach of cultural

decide for making the apprising popularity and the interest
of the European citizen. Europe has in which popularity of
satisfactory, of course major. Whats the popularity within
the Turkish public of European Union accession?
H.E. Mmin Alanat:
I can say that it mention the Turkish co-operation

should force the accession of Turkey to Europe. When we
had the discussion before the last EU summit and when we
had the difficulties to get the approval for starting our talks
on October the position of course to react was advantages.
They were expecting to have something in new changes for
participating to the decision council in Turkey. They got it
and they approve also the decision with Turkey to
negotiations and its in similar situation.
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Of course they had some preparation in The Turkish

public opinion privilege additional Turkey for Europe but I
can say that mainly in majorities is private. Of course we
had very small strong position to Europe. They say this is
initially and ideologically very strong. Some full sentence
will be careful whatever we can they still at the end Europe
that accept Turkey as a full member and they are in the ratio
circle and they had problem but we say again this that we
should do whatever possible for that session and again I do
also develop one idea of course on the European side the
member countries some of them prepared their countries for
the accession for their approval by the public also. Why not
at that speech Turkey also can fill about referendum in
Turkey to get the approval the Turkish relations and it comes
negative if we had a negative of course that we might say
that all knowledge in EU but still may be all the
improvement all the advantages to get to prepare Turkey to
become the full member. So the options of that we can also
remember thats the options of Turkey also.
Actually, thank you for your inform the part about

the Europe countries about 1930 its mention that I will
information that majority of people in Turkey are fever of
enter the member of Europe but we are Europe.
So what are the strategy of adopting by Turkish

establish the country to the full membership to might be
exactly after Turkey become as a member of Europe?
Hows the government? What is the strength of the

document by the government to help industries more after
the accession?
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H.E. Mmin Alanat:
I think this to what point I give the mention was I did

some. The implementation of custom union was the
examiner of Turkey in this basis. I mean during all the
period in our relations we had all the discussion with Turkey
that once we had the custom union or once we had
elimination of tariff to Europe. Then we should have crush
of Turkish industries for example we counter support the
competition from determine. This period of process was
established the custom union and so I dont remember any
sectors, all as I know which gain to us complain due to
custom union, education of tariff. Now they are the
difficulties and they want the speech.
We had to know such experience. I think we

established the custom union before becoming full member
to Europe was the decision by Turkey side, Turkish
government. You should may be assist having all support
from European Union financially and otherwise also still
mainly deliberate I dont count Turkish on the percent
exactly but the outcome of the positive and the main
argument which was always that from the industry side from
other side of the economy.
The administration or the custom union was the part

of Turkish industry which was redesign now. So thats what
I talk about this technician and the growth of relations in
community in trade relations and I would also within tariff
the custom union also the important Turkish economic
agents. Thats we had the protection of these advantages of
exporting to Europe to all European countries and the
member countries I mean 53 all and that was also the
competitive and this is for the medium size industry to invest
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to Europe and to get the counterpart to export and to also get

the compression with agents in Europe.
Im David. Does the Turkish accession to the EU

will improve the European relations with Islamic world?
H.E. Mmin Alanat:
It is sound of the issue of course I always say by

personal idea that the moral occasion one. I try to process to
get that Turkey is a singular state so we are almost 99 per
cent in Turkey but still first to come to Turkey establish
country, establish society.
Of course, we have some science that some astronaut

science office and may be had some women, thats okay.
But its not the case that import to Arab country and other
Muslim country. So this is the first speech I want to
emphasize. I think that Turkey of course can contribute to
improvement or to development or prevention between
Turkey and these Islamic for sure.
On the crash point, on the basis of first point I

mention of secondary so I think Turkey will be terrible in the
proposing or in this modern effect for other countries and
also in having more initiative in improving Turkey and EU
relations which is before but this bring out to the second part
of my expectation that is to say actually we have in Turkey,
a government. We emphasised we should contribute more
than by personality to the improvement of the relations
which is before and the EU and this is actual situation and
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then also the natural outcome of this approach we had the

initial by prime minister to common or to institute together
with Spain. Some kind of alliance of civilisation process
which means in general to brief more understanding to
activity for bring our understanding with we did to main
limit but in general to other briefs also so this is the
approach.
You had to decide by yourself about the contribution

of Turkey to Europe much more relations but we should also
ask to this step, the accession of Turkey to Europe would
show much involve that co-operation in establish elite can
integrate smoothly. The countries would co-operation with
passion of the integration if interest would be placed in the
accession then it was showed that this is much to share with
peace to restart. Thats in general in the contribution of
Turkish accession to the general longer relations between
trade and develop. I would like to say my approach say to
that approach but others can put all emphasise.
H.E. Friedrich Hamburger, Ambassador of Delegation of

European Commission:
It may be in the academic and incorrect to talk about

the Islamic world as the global stress. Its not the global
stress. They are anti with majority which is not liberalising
or Buddhism but the very few countries which call
themselves Islamic and you know the prospective so the
Islamic world is not the world of redesign. Many of them
which we can replace some of them are purely range of
tradition, history or language so every one of us has let of
identity and one of them is serious religious.
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I would like to also mention about between 5 and 6

million times already living within the European Union.
Many of them retained the British, some of them became
citizens of the European member state and the few European
and they put the somehow ambassador of the European
Union in Turkey, Ambassador of Turkey in the European
Union. We should use this potential. Turkish accession
ought to be soon necessarily therefore and they need to make
peace between Christian Europe and the Islamic world
internal opportunity of course but its not the main purpose
of membership and we hope that is many possible thing we
hope that we take on staying peace and prosperity beyond
Turkey into its neighbourhood as we talked to delivery
Turkey nations of beyond the reception part of making
peace. It would play this role once it makes peace the some
of which in terms of 40 minutes and some of its neighbours.
I think that this is very important which is come back

to the negotiations. I negotiated 3 open of first between
expectations and the European commission. The steady
courses you are very optimistic between all we take and they
are building because of the side of achieve. The achieve lead
in 2 chapters and in each chapter we looked at the key and
the legal system in Turkish and then how the laws of Turkey
in particularly are actually applied because its not enough to
compare the legal text but the application all that we can see
where the differences are and the 2 things either 2
benchmarks in Turkey commits to improve the registration
leading to the liberal of the achieve or if it is not able to
produce the constitution of other political reasons it would
either have to present road map toward in Turkey or it would
have to put these particularly issues into the promise with
others on the negotiating process.
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Those are seen that they need to be negotiate

between Turkey and the commission to find and acceptable
solution but the fact that they are all the occasion of achieve.
They either have to be this transitional period or put it on the
same approach and they should be noted permanent in the
relation on achieve and also the either part.
Every move brings something move traditional to

each so its already law of limiting the budget deficit and it
probably strength because they consider physical policy as
something that can be used to calibrate economic policy.
You may remember the United State before the present
administration and pass such law but this normal on the
bother and it was physically consider by the president. Also
it became the main of European Union have higher
environmental staple to the European Union.
Actually, we had to move down of bring us with the

European Union. We have to be used this staple to enter the
European Union on we got the promise on the European
Union. We see that period of time to transition the Union has
already to be stable with all level so we got allocation of
going down to batch and the Union promise that it would
come up to all level so similar to be that Turkey should have
registration in earlier to go beyond their achieve but the
European member state would be able to reach the Turkish
stable.
The similar arrangement would be negotiating so it is

very please in some change that for European establish to
look at the negotiating and for that negotiating protocol
should and it actually it has progress to different
enhancement also and Im sure that the process established
to be respond the purpose of being that we talk to just say
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the achieve as we pass so the progress that we need it all

time to negotiate.
Counselor of German Embassy:
As we know all much your country in my heart and

privilege to coming here and that some of and wait time I
think that Turkish country enormous, the rich country and I
can only invite everybody has chance to go there. We should
not forget the Turkey quarrel of all European
implementation.
This is my little bit question coming from the taking

of negotiations and I prefer to see the pillar of the
negotiations which interesting many of political and culture
dialogue. My experience from working in Turkey and also
from experience of contact original Turkish people in my
home country Germany is that rest certainly some kind of
the disestablishing of both sides disestablishing in Europe or
Germany as to more the Turkish today and I think also in
Turkey of what it means to join the EU but I would like to
know a little bit more about the content of this culture
dialogue political dialogue both to close of the EU and
Turkey intend to do and still because I think its very
important. Otherwise you will not achieve the acceptant with
the public relations and may be also Turkey should do a little
bit more.
I think that presenting the picture of today Turkey is

very important in Europe but there are still some efficiency
which certainly also come from some part of the Turkish
population in Europe give the whole picture in the behavior
and the social attitude of today Turkey which of course the
Germans the whole picture of Turkey and our populations.
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H.E. Mmin Alanat:
Turkey is the country of civilization. We got one

assessing from President Jacques Chirak. He said we are all
the children of Bison. He said something that you remember
that Turkey I mean questions discuss in the EU. Everybody
ask to what the president think and he said what he means
like this.
Just you know by chance I work here and Europe

about that period there was interesting and I had the lecture
with the British problems and I saw that the introduction of
Christianity in Germany and in the northern part of Europe
was done during that period. Previous priest come from
some of Anatolia. I have heard that he said he was a man
who introduced the Christianity. I said I got many because
afterward the Lord of Europe I mean called at that time on
German and all republication that he was in suburb and he
came from Greece to Anatolia and he met someone stayed in
Europe and he hoped also to Europe sometime so we shared
the Bison which I maintain for years since traditional
anything so I think this is a model in the kind of civilisation
and this is a small part of them and remember that you come
to The Turk in Germany and some part of them still
presenting me the fully the actual more than Turkey.
Ill push that its the best and I think that this is
because they came from some less developed area of Turkey
so they moved for just the big cities so they had the culture
shock and they were not ready to adopt themselves to
modern conditions in developed countries in big cities so
they caped in tradition. These are some protection reflex for
the identities.
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I caution the output of this they have been needed to

come earlier to Turkey so they had the great deal also to
Turkey today to be ready so these also the gap that tradition
moving on. I push that may be as integrated as the rich to the
environment since now for 4 years may be more, This is the
case what we have to accept them as they are. Of course this
is our public opinion in the countries.
Im not very happy that I have my sister living in

Germany with her husband and she doesnt speak to German
even they have to do much with my sister so I can criticise
whatever happened also so its may be we need the activities
in complaining Turkish mention to the actual situation or
development in Turkey so we have to present Turkey as it is
in Turkey a poll to Europe and the initiatives and the
activities advantages from the civil and culture dialogue
exactly and perceive that the supporting relations between
governmental organisation and between the cities between
cultural associations. I think that this would have to improve
the relations Turkey and Europe. Lately I have established
was the purpose of the cultural city or European cultural city
was done for becoming years and this can also contribute to
improve Turkish image.
I would just finish my one souvenir. We were some

stage in prosperous just with my life and my children which
was 10 years ago. We met the French couple there. They
were found people they came from France. They were
amazed with the beauty, the prosperous and previous there
of Istanbul. They said to me very kindly. We were having of
questions in mind.
We met around in the same area in Lyon area in

south of France and we were not able to understand who
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created all these beauty in Istanbul. These people in Lyon or

some other people that they were from the Europe original
some of that people going to abroad and the other remained
in Turkey and then contributed all the establishment
indicating all these create. So I think I hope that the
integration in to change for the part of population also.
Im from International Institute for trade and

development. I have a question we got in currency should.
I know that to be the member of the EU the great

stability is one of the criteria and I remember 4 or 5 years
ago when Turkey has become in difficulties. Turkey is liked
beware in considerably and I want to know the situation
right now also and is the great stability still a problem for
Turkey and what the government going to do to achieve the
goal?
H.E. Mmin Alanat:
Since almost 1 year now we have new currency

introduced in Turkey. We had in the year 2000 the financial
difficulties and the Euro had to devalue the Turkish. We
have a bit rational impression until last 2 years. We had the
impression to 30% - 40% even more. Now since 2 years the
situation as stabilize and we have only impression about
10% even less since 3 months one year of impression and
the Turkish currency has become as strong currency even in
the exporters complained in 2 years thats it too strong so it
created difficulties for export activities and also the import
and also we have growing trade imbalance in general and
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this also create some problem but we think that we can

handle it the approach.
I want to mention but we have to compress that we

had a bit public gap, actually but according to some recent
assessment the budget deficit ratio and the public gap ratio
to the approach to the nations product. We are becoming
approach close to the criteria which are in Europe actually.
To sum up the obligatory criteria we have to fulfill

before the accession but still we have a threat which
approached Turkey to the criteria as well. So in summary
their stronger was stable situation now so the public gap is
still approach to be there and its so interesting. I think that
some of them are probably close the development and we
became an independent public in develop 3 years. Its also
time to our preparation to becoming full member of the main
move independence as other in Europe. So I think that this is
already done to the problem.
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Austrian Roles as
EU presidency
H.E.Arno Riedel
the Austrian Ambassador to Thailand
Prof. Dr.Pornsan Watananguhn:
The year 2006 is full of many auspicious occasion

especially the King Bumibhols diamond throne jubilees
which all of us had experience last week and regarding to
this, my I invite you and all colleagues to visit the exhibition
about life and work of our beloved king Bumibhol. The
exhibitions are organised by Chulalongkorn University at
Mahachulalongkorn building opposite to the main
auditorium and open for public from Monday to Saturday
from 10 am. -7pm.
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So in the last special lecture, we honoureded to

welcome his Excellency Christian, the ambassador of
Romania to Thailand, to delivered lecture entitled of a role
and foreign policies of Romania for becoming an EU
member on a year 2007. So therefore, we are honoureded by
the greatest exaltation of his Excellency Arnold, the
ambassador of Austrian to Thailand to deliver a speech at
Chulalongkorn University on the Austrian role as the EU
presidency. The Austrian embassy, Bangkok, has joined and
supported activities of Chulalongkorn University and also
activities of Centre for European studies and his Excellency
Arnold himself is one of our closed friends, he has graduated
from university of Insbruge in 1975, made his MBA in field
of economic at the University of Vienna in 1977. He
finished his education at the diplomatic academy, Vienna, in
the year 1979 and in the year 1980, his Excellency 3 has
started his career at the Ministry of Indonesia, Italy before
becoming an ambassador in Tiana during 1998-2001 and his
posed at an ambassador Thailand began in the year 2005.
Austria, a country is located in centre Europe and

formally Austria-Hungary empires for many century, has
always played crucial role in European politics and cultures.
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, many eastern
European countries has come to an end. I still remember
how Austria, a new country, as a gate to eastern Europe, has
played a distinguished role socially, politically and
performed humanitarian act to a great number of people
from eastern Europe. Austria has been engaged on a crucial
task during January June 2006 as an EU presidency, so in
this regards, your Excellency, may I ask you to give us you
thought of this occasion.
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H.E.Arno Riedel:
This seems to me very timely, as the presidency is

coming to an end later this month and on Thursday and
Friday of the last week, The EU chancellor, the most
important decision making body at the EU, was held in
Brussels but I shall refer to that later. We have witness as
Professor Dr.Pornsan has already referred to; we have
witness here in Bangkok the extraordinary and outstanding
celebration of the diamond jubilee, the 60th anniversary of
his majesty accession to the throne. Remarkable number of
the royal families from Europe took out in this celebration is
just another prove of many links between Thailand and
Europe.
So let me speak now about the European Union and

the Austrian presidency that I has been asked to do so. As It
was given a title Austrian roles as the EU presidency
implying that several roles to plays but the role of EU
presidency is quite a tight chagrin, you can plays in various
sectors, various stages but you always plays on your one
role.
You cant be donkey shot and make it at the same

time. The presidency, however, cant set certain priority as it
was a case during UK presidency when the EU made, we
were working very hard on eastern and south Eastern
Europe. At this point, Id rather explain to you what is the
presidency of the EU. The Presidency of the councilor of the
EU is head by member state in term of a period 6 months.
Austria holds the presidency for the second times since
accession to the EU in 1995. Our first presidency we had in
1998 and on this time, Austria will be followed by Finland
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very soon on the 1st of July and then The Germany, Portugal
and Slovenia.
What are the main tasks of the EU presidency? It is

certainly to organise and share all meeting of the EU
councilor, the preparatory committee and working groups,
represent the councilor in the dealing with other EU
institution bodies such as The EU commission and the
parliament. Finally, represent the EU in the international
organisation and in the relation with countries that are not
member of EU. Austria share all the meeting of the head of
state and government and all meeting during 6 months of its
presidency take place in Brussels or Luxemburg. It is also
customary for the ministers to meet informally in the country
holding the presidency. A total of 12 informal meeting at
ministerial level took place in Austria during our presidency.
It is a presidency responsibility to prepare the council

work as effectual as possible and to deliver a progress by
drawing up compromise proposal and brokering agreement
between the member states. The council annual operation
programme was prepared by Austria together with Finland,
the next country to hold the presidency. The operation
programme of the council for the year 2006 , this is a one
year programme, was drawn up by the council presidency on
the basis of multi annual programme 2004 and 2006 and
multi annual programme should ensure the continuity of the
presidency to come. The Presidency, of cause, I should
mention that because we have the representative of the EU
committee here. The Presidency represents the EU
intentionally in much closed co-operation with the EU
commission.
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The 6 months of EU presidency by no means of the

time of the national interest on the other member state, just
the contrary, and the presidency has to serve as the honest
broker helping to facilitate compromise. Remember that
most councilor decision required unanimity so what has
been achieved during Austrian EU presidency? I have
following 9 chapters to offer you and I will refer to one after
another very briefly but it should give a big shot of what the
Austrian presidency had been done and what is highlighted
topic on agenda of the EU.
At first, Id like to make a few remarks on the EU

budget. Lets say in the beginning because there was quite
some discussion and controversy about how the future
budget of the EU should look like and how all the
expenditure should be financed.
Just to give you some idea, what would you think?

How big of the annual budget of the EU? Its big but not too
big and some would say its surprisingly small. The annual
budget for 2006 amount 12 billion EURO and that is
approximately 1% of the growth national income of the
enlarged EU. The budget enables the EU to fund its
activities, programmes and the projects within various
policies though yearly budget direct procedure. The finance
perspective is multi-annual spending plan to help the budget
direct process the present financial perspective toward the
year 2006. And here you can
See how important this question is, because we have

to prepare for the new budget of EU and the next one is the
year 2007-2013 and this has finally been agreed upon. It
reflects the EU priority policy and it is an instrument for
budget direct planning and discipline. There was a lot
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discussion about EU budget as I said and you have to keep

in mind that still the major EU expenditure is done in a field
of agricultural through the common agricultural policy and
regional and structure policy. So in the beginning of April
after quite long and intensive negotiation, finally we able to
reach the informal agreement with European parliament
because the Parliament have to give a consent and the
European commission concerning to the financial
perspective for 2007-2013.
The new financial framework of EU enables us to

invest in the future and to ensure that the EU remains an
operator. The financial resources were increased in the area
that effecting young people and life long learning, moreover,
the programme consider to be the motto for growth such as
research and development or trans European network or
you might called it mega programme of the EU. We hope
to contribute to create jobs and increasing Europe
productivity. Furthermore, the budget and location for the
EU coming foreign policies were increased the financial
agreement. This is why I put it as first point because this was
very important step for the EU future and this is clear sign of
the functioning of the EU institution.
My second point is to describe Response strategy.

The EU head of state bought new dynamic into a so called
response process that go back to the year 2000 and its
strategy lead EU into more competitive knowledge based
society. All member states finally approved the Austria
proposal to send themselves specific objectives which
regards to jobs, growth and improving an employment
situation, 18 million employee around EU, so please dont
forget the economic situation in Europe. It is a big challenge
and many citizen said that What is EU good for ?, if it cant
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provide proper job, but if you look closer to this problem,

you will see that the EU hasnt much too say in this respect
because its many left to the individual member states
economic policy measure to take. The most urgent target,
undoubtedly, is to increase employment annually by 1%
which means the creation of 2 million additional jobs every
year. We intense to ensure job and training for every young
person after finished their studies and to decrease the
number of the school leaver, this group in particular, need
realistic perspective for the future and chance to success. In
order to achieve more growth and job, its essential to
concentrate more in the small and medium enterprises which
is too little attention has been paid in the past. Young
entrepreneur should be able to set up their business within 1
week .A single point of contract is to ensure that the small
and medium enterprises are not send from pillar to pole.
Additionally, we have to invest more in research and know
how, we should account for an average 3% of GDP by 2010
in all EU member state.
My third subject is the service directive. It was and

still very tricky point but the directive services internal
market, is aiming at breaking down the variation of trade and
services across the EU. It has been one of the most disputed
pieces of the EU registration in the past year which
proponent arguing that if we put European competitiveness
by critic blamed it for leading to social dumping, for
example public utility in the member state. It was a big
dispute whether public utility should be open to private
investment, to leave open or to have protective in certain
area of very functioning. On the other hand, protective rather
from opened competition.
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My forth point; I would call it a success story of the

EU that is EURO, our common currency, and SCHENGEN.
The Euro has proved to be a strong factor of the integration,
soon all member states will become a member of the Euro as
you know, but its here and its really a symbol of the
integration. Last Friday, the European summit concluded
that Slovenia, the first of the new member state, will join the
Euro zone in 2007. So the Euro zone is expanding and on
SCHENGEN, of course, the co-operation will deepen.
SCHENGEN, from outside, may be not good, sometimes it
used as the synonym as the free trade of Europe. Its really
big step forward in integration, it provide free movement
without passport and border control within the SCHENGEN
zone. Could you imagine here in ASEAN that you wouldnt
need any passport and traveling from Burma to the
Philippines to Singapore, so its really big step forward.
My next point is Constitutional treaty. You might

say its not the time for EU to expect much progress, as the
matter effect, it turns out to be rather zone topic that Id dare
to say, it would have been for any presidency not just only
the Austrian presidency. To make a step back to remind you
that the treaty of Niece was concluded with the enlargement
of the EU member states, there sort of understood that the
EU of 27 or even more member states should have different
structure and organisation. Therefore, the reform of
institution is necessary and was made in a form of
constitutional treaty. Nowadays, the constitutions became a
rather bad word and in some country even refer to deceived
word. What has happened last week, Britain, France and the
Netherlands had demanded the constitution to be given a
better name. Concerning on updating the fast growing EUs
outdated institution, what they would like to see is the new
start of all discussion, but the other member states including
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Germany, Italy and Spain want the final treaty to be as close

as possible to the original text which was rejected by French
and Dutch voters in the referendum last year. There is still
no clear idea among the member states on how to proceed
with the constitutional treaty as Austrian chancellor said
Europe should move to a period of analysis, we have to look
to ourselves and see how we can proceed. Now with the
period of perfection would end with German presidency.
German will hold the EU presidency on the first half in 2007
and they should draw up the report on how to proceed with
France EU presidency on the second half of 2007 finalising
the new look treaty. Most EU member states agreed that key
parts of 324 based treaties should be safe, no reform to
streamline discuss making such as the creation of EU
presidency, foreign ministry, and smaller European
commission and simplify voting system moving in important
part to a majority voting. On the constitutional debate,
Austria chancellor said there was a consensus that ministry
wasnt sufficient in the long term so we have to do
something. The constitutional treaty has so far been ratified
in 15 EU member states including Austria. In medium term
future, the implementation of necessary the substance of the
treaty will be for successfully taking forward the EU
projects.
Next topic is Integration and migration. Migration

becomes more and more important topic for the EU, given
the situation on the border especially with the immigration
pressure coming from North Africa across the
Mediterranean. There is still not much tendency from the
side of EU member states to give an authority but at least,
gradually, has been in visit with the building of action plan
and even come institution. But the question is how to deal
with the illegal migration and then also the integration in
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Europe of normal migration is still widely left to individual

member state. Its clear that there is an urgent need to
proceed together and to act together, also important to
extend strategy to improve border protection and to make a
better determent against people smuggling and human
trafficking.
My next point number 7 is energy. Energy was

highlighted in the beginning of Austrian EU presidency with
the Russian-Ukraine gas crisis and in this dynamic field, I
have to say that Austrian presidency could largely, on what
has been, achieved by UK presidency. There was a good
debated on the EU common energy policy but lucky enough
that the Russian-Ukraine gas could be solved quickly but the
fundamental problem still remains. The Austrian presidency,
therefore, concentrate on 3 keys area, security supply,
competitiveness and environmental competitively. In
particular, we aim at 20% energy to increase saving potential
for the coming year.
Furthermore, it is our aim to promote renewable

energy from 7% to 15%. I wish to point out, however, that
the responsibility for choosing each member state energy
mix remain a national method Austria, for example, has
decided not to use nuclear power. I found quite interesting
table from the report by European commission on EUs gas
and oil consumption in 2004. So where does gas and oil that
we use in EU come from? Its interesting enough and also
surprised me that 46% of gas and 21% of oil is an additional
production but where does The EU import gas and oil?
Russia is the most important outside source energy supplier
by 24% of gas and 27% of oil. Then you might not
immediately think of it but 13% of gas and 16% of oil is
imported from Norway. The Middle East account for 19% of
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oil import and Africa, Nigeria are where we import 10% of

gas and 20% of oil consumption. I found it interesting about
the needs of EU strategy and there was a lot of works to
done and a lot of programme to achieve diversifying to the
resource and the way of transporting.
My eight points is the external relation. Finally we

come to the big shot of EU give to an outside world. During
the Austrian presidency, the usual summit with other country
is reached but I dont want to go into details. The highlight
of our presidency was the EU-Latin America and Caribbean
summit which bought together the head of states from Latin
America, Caribbean and Europe in Vienna. In late may,
chancellor met president Putin of Russia for the EU-Russia
summit and later this week, on the 23rd of June, there will
be the president Bush in Austria for the EU-US summit. We
have also made a good progress in the relation between EU-
South-East Asia. Terrorism. As Austrian presidency, a
partnership agreement and co-operation between EU and
Thailand has been negotiated on last conclude, so we
confident that there could be signed soon. Trade and
investment is slowing between EU and Thailand because the
internal politic problem in Thailand and I dont see any sign
that this might reduce. Let me mention about the coming 4th
ASEAN summit in September in Helsinki which a lot of
work has been done and In March of this year the ASEM
finance ministry meeting took place in Vienna.
Also the introduction of rule and law, the European

law in all each country has been a great advantage for all
Austrian citizens, just to give an example what does it means
to have an environmental standard as they are in the EU. Let
me give final remarks, despite some European pessimists
express here and there since the negative preference in
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France and the Netherlands on the constitution. I believe that

the EU will continue its integration journey but the EU and
its politicians must demonstrate clear action on how Europe
is serving our all citizen not just selected group likes big
business farmer or intellectual elites. If you take a step back
and look at an underline trance, you will see a much more
positive picture, EU projects has serve humorous crisis in
the past such as currency crisis, divorced form of Yugoslavia
and Iraq. Each time we come back and emerge stronger.
Over the year, we had delivered a remarkable run of success
likes the single market, the Euro and European defense
policy. To this we should add others, may be less visible
success, for example cheap airline, reduce phone bills, free
travel in the SCHENGEN zone. At the same time, the EU
has grown larger inside, now 25 countries and very soon 27.
If we are experiencing plant then these are the growing plant
for promising and still useful union. Thank you very much.
What would you see the difference between the

presidency in 1998 and the presidency in 2006?
H.E.Arno Riedel:
This is an interest question. Of cause, its different

not only because in 1998 is our first presidency and you
came at different approach, then the second time that you
know things better and know how the institution work and
function.
I remember that during our fist presidency, there was

more room to move but 8 years later, its more
comprehensive and isnt only because we are more member
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state with more meeting and consolidation but its rather the
range of topic cause the EU became really global player,
everything that happen in the world is interested EU and you
cant leave out any topic. So in that sense, they are different
and maybe its necessary to reform of running 6 months
presidency. There are several concepts including team
presidency for example, 3 countries together run one
presidency to more than half a year, having division of labor
but this is on a condition of timing that we have to continue
to do it. With the growing strength and gaining form of the
EU institution, European parliament for example, our
presidency and foreign minister have to spend more time
going to the EU parliament to explain what has happening
and to answer the question, also the European parliament has
no right to give a directive to the council presidency. Its
necessary to have a very close contact and quite
development during our presidency.
Professor Dr. Pornsan:
I have some question slightly concerning to the

previous one. The question is the EU presidency, as you
said, may change in the future .Is it consider as an
continuous routine role of each country in EU or not? To get
out off the roles that the country as EU presidency has been
engaged to a special mission. Can we say that they just carry
on the previous work?
H.E.Arno Riedel:
When we found out for our presidency. Maybe 90%

or 95% of the agendas were already set up. So its another
different to our first presidency then you see how things
have developed during our first presidency. Our feeling was
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that we had more room to set our own priority but during
this presidency we stress out referring to Southeastern
Europe relation with Eastern Europe. Centre Asia also
became more and more important for the EU. But its not
that we can simply precise on, we can indicate some priority
but then we have to support all member states, so even if
Austria had an idea to put forward very strongly the project
of the constitution but there are obviously limited so it
became aggression more and more in the services of member
states.
Questions from Participants:
Ambassador, I think for me its very useful and

comprehensive overview because when you follow the
development of the EU and you see all these subjects, you
quite easily lose the orientation and things are complicated
in the EU.I think it must have been very tremendous work
load for the Austrian presidency. If you look at the subject
you presented, likes services, directive financial strategy.
Dont you think the European citizen get a little bit lost with
these subjects? I mean how you can create a certain feeling
of positive toward the EU, certain enthusiasm for the
European integration with this kind of very technical, very
complicated and challenging subjects but still something that
you can create a positive thinking within your citizen. Thank
you.
H.E.Arno Riedel:
Yes, exactly, this is one of the big concerns and

during our presidency; we try to have a new approach
bringing the EU close to its citizen. What I mean to say is
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that the institution of the EU are still perceive abstract and

not really connect to its citizens. This is a big problem that
the politician should be aware of and they increase because
after the 2 referendums in France and in the Netherlands, it
was obvious that there is some gap to fill. Now we try to do
something during our presidency although it not much
success but one of our topic is about the transparency, for
example, to have decision making also in the council of EU
so normal citizen can see how decision are made, but still it
is a long way to go so I dont think it cant be achieve in our
presidency. So its a long term or at least medium goal but
awareness is what Im concerning with.
Professor Dr. Pornsan:
I remember the mentioning of the former ambassador

of EU to Thailand. He said when the EU have once more
opportunity, they would made the process of the EU
integration democratic that make the European people to
have a chance and more opportunity to take part in the
process. I trusted in resource policy and political policy of
the EU. You mentioned that the main resource of the EU
come from Russia so is there any mention that Russian, in
the future, will be a member of the EU. Second question
about the political policy concerning to Iran and Myanmar
because I observe that EU play as an important role in this
subject. So what do you think of EU role in this political
matters? Should the role of EU similar to UN or should have
a unique role?
H.E.Arno Riedel:
To the first question, there is an ongoing debate

about the finality of the EU. Where should the EU end?
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Where should it enlarge to? When you ask me about Russia,

I think it was never seriously consider about Russia as the
member of the EU. By the way, Russia themselves have
never take this option in account so the enlargement process
of the EU has not yet come to an end. As I said, its
definitely necessary and urgent to include country of the
Southeastern EU and how far for the union should expand to
the east is not a question that we have to answer today if you
see what the interest of EU like. We have to see how EU
function the new member and I couldnt imagine function of
EU with Russia as a normal member state with the current
structure. To your second question on how to deal with Iran
and Myanmar, certainly EU is claiming to adverse player
and the Iranian question is not new on the table. I think the
EU has always pursued specific role that was made in the
framework of the international institution of the UN and
there is no way to by pass that, so we have to be on the
ground of legal structures but when you mention of the
approach that USA takes, sometimes we have to do it with
the common ground. About the question of Iran, of cause,
have to be addressed, I think Iran has aware of European
point of view and its communicated range and there are
contact on recently that Mr. Sorana, the highly
representative for external relation of the chancellor, is
relinquished this matter with the Iranian government.
So there are many options in our negotiation process.

About Myanmar, one of the EU principles is based upon
Human Rights and also in Austria presidency is concerning
so much on Human Rights and Myanmar is certainly a
particular case where there are a lot of criticisms, we have
voice in numerous declarations of our presidency and in the
name of the European Union on the situation in Myanmar.
We have to be realistic politically that the EU have not
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enough leverage to change fundamentally conditions in

Myanmar and not to optimistic, frankly speaking that it
need effort with other important country especially the
important country in the region, China and India, to be more
proactive but also continue clear support form the ASEAN.
Questions from Participants:
I have 2 questions, one is targeting at EU and the

others are Austria perspective. Could you share with us
some insight and your assessment about the EU roles as the
global actor? What should it do to make things differently in
what has happening in the world now, from arm conflict to
human rights and all that.
My second question is about Austria, does the

presidency experience give Austria an advantage over its
relationship in term of what is doing in the supranational
levels and also at the same time, does the experience in the
presidency give its the further inside, how to relate with the
Austrian citizen, to bring EU closer to the heart of the
ordinary citizen. Thank you.
H.E.Arno Riedel:
Im sure that all of you knew the saying that the EU

is the global player and should become a global player so
because of lacking the proper framework in its institution,
the EU couldnt come out so easily and there is some effort,
especially with the reform of the constitutions to make it
more effective and to be better and more visible for the
outside. I agree that the changing and rotating of the
presidency is not what our partners would like to see in the
EU and this is not the best way to communicate with the
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countries outside the EU and its definitely not idea to bring

forward this policy substance that is deal to EU. On the other
hand, coming to security and foreign policy has developed
since its came into existence, I have mentioned today that
its even more budget for the measures for example the
common EU mission in the Congo that would have been
unthinkable year ago so things are developing but there is
still big gap for that. Maybe will be one time in the future
but certainly there is a way to go s but what I have said
before in the case of Myanmar, we can do a lot when we
find a right partner so Im not too pessimistic. About the
effect of the EU presidency in Austria, of cause, it is not
only an honour for our country of presidency, it is certainly
an obligation to do it in the best way but also take
advantages of it. Not so much that we say, now everything
run in the Austrian way. But we learn a lot, always for me it
is a learning process, you have to deal with many subjects
because you were forced to do so and in this respect, we
certainly take the advantages of our institution. Recent poll
in showed that the acceptance of the EU by Austria citizen
has improved about 6-7% but I have to say that the over all
picture is not good in Austria, Austria citizen printed out the
images of the EU to a few disadvantages that they perceived
for example, big problem still the transit over Austria and
create a traffic that Austria expect the EU to do something
for the citizen and this expectation were disappointed but
overall, I repeated that the image of the EU have improved
during our presidency in Austria.
Questions of Participants:
I cant command the amount of punctilious

meticulous works done by this second Austria presidency. In
fact could be seen in the capital which follow very close on
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what has happen all over Europe but we particular in what

we call an opportunity for Romania of the last 6 months in
office of Vienna. All team on the agendas were covered to
the best result. This is the Romania point of view on
including the very sensitive one for us of establishing
concretely and firmly and now we could update so far. This
remarks made with appreciation and thanks, short questions
are related to step ahead on the line of the common and
active policy. Romania will become concretely the border of
the EU together with Bulgaria. It has come recently with
some initiatives related to energy, security and co-operation
in the area of black sea, Has Vienna some specific point of
view in this connection concretely toward the forum in the
beginning of June on the black sea development together
with energy, security and co-operation that was outside the
black sea economic co-operation initiative about the decade
by literal country.
H.E.Arno Riedel:
First, let me thanks for your kind word appreciation

for the Austria presidency. At the matter effect, you know
very well that we are fully behind in the conclusion of
accession of your country and also Bulgaria and we are quite
sure that after all the preparation that will happen according
to a plans. Now referring to the energy policy, well Im not
an expert in that field but the topic is increasingly important
and as the EU is trying for diversification in this field, it is
natural to see how we can develop the area of the black sea
and establish better and closer link with the country further
to the East for example there is already an on the way
important project of gas by plant and it is linking centre
Europe by Turkey further to the East.
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Now it is certainly new experience in decision

making and evaluation of the situation then you have to deal
with the neighbour of your neighbour, so it always give a
new perspective or even new dimension on not just a
problem but also on the comprehensive picture of the certain
strategy that you want to develop. I dont think that the EU
can effort to leave any option out so it has to be taken into its
account and as we see now on the raising of oil prices with
this development even strengthening growth rate to a
considerable point. There must be a comprehensive action of
the EU. How we can to do this, of cause, need to be seen
especially in the case of Romania. I quite see an essential
position of Romania in this respect with important
neighbouring country across the black sea.
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Austria 20 Euro Coin
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Eiffel Tower, France
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France
and the European Union
H.E. Laurent Aublin
the French Ambassador to Thailand
Frances geo-graphical situation: at the centre of Europe,

on the North Sea, the Atlantic, the Mediterranean, the Alps,
bordered by the Rhine.
France part of Europes history: Roman Empire, Empire of

Charlemagne, one of the earliest kingdoms originated with Clovis,
in constant interaction (i.e. frequently war) with others: England,
Flanders, Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Austria, Prussia, and Germany.
France invaded and partially devastated in two world wars, which
gave rise to the project of European unity.
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A founding member and a driving force.
France played an essential role in conception, creation and

definition of the united Europe.
French personalities provided some of the ideas that led to

the unification of Europe: Victor Hugo, in the XIX century, spoke
of the United States of Europe. After WW II, Aristide Briand
developed the Project of a perpetual peace between the peoples of
Europe.
The first stone of the European community was laid by

Robert Schuman, head of the French Government in 1950, who
proposed the European Community of Coal and Steel. The date of
his appeal (9 May) is today Europe Day.
After the French parliament refused the creation of the

European Defence Community, France joined the first 5 other
founding members (Belgium, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, and
Netherlands) in signing the Treaty of Rome, creating the European
Economic Community in 1957, based on the custom union and the
common market.
Since then, France has played a leading role in shaping the

progression towards an ever more unified Europe, often in strong
co-ordination with Germany, in particular since the Elyse Treaty
of 1963: the cornerstone of the new Europe is the French-German
understanding, succeeding the rivalry and bellicosity of the last
century.
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French contribution to Europes progress.
European common policies: France has obtained the

creation of the Common Agriculture Policy, of the common
development policy (Agreements of Yaound, and Lom), of the
co-operation in foreign policy (leading to the present common
foreign and security policy), of the European Space Agency and
the launching of the Galileo project, of the policy favouring
cultural diversity.
France has played an active and often determinant role in

having the institutions evolve towards an enhanced co-operation
and integration: creation of the European Council of Heads of
State and Government in 1974 (Valery Giscard dEstaing), Single
Act 1985 (Franois Mitterrand) , creation of the European Union
in 1992 with the Treaty of Maastricht (Jacques Delos, President of
the Commission), creation of the European Policy of Security and
Defence in 1999, with the new position of High representative of
the Union (Javier Solana).
France was also in the leading group for the creation of the
new currency, the Euro in 2002. Today, a Frenchman is the
Governor of the European Central Bank.
France has always been in favour of an active and visible

intervention of Europe as a protagonist in world affairs: in
commercial matters, this being one of the unified policies
delegated to the Commission under supervision of the Council of
Ministers, and in diplomatic matters, where France pushes for a
European foreign policy totally independent from other powers.
This yielded some successes such as the definition of a position on
the issue of the Middle East, at the European Council of Venice, in
1980 and, more recently, the successful European diplomacy led
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by Javier Solana, High Representative for the Common Foreign

and Security Policy.
Frances priorities in helping build the new Europe.
What characterises the French approach within the Europe-

building process is the following:
A strong preference for concrete projects, whereby

Europeans pool their resources and genius to build realisations that
a single state could not do alone: From the European Community
of Coal and Steel to Airbus, the European Space Agency that
developed the Ariane rocket and the Galileo system, the project of
nuclear fusion ITER, the Euro currency, the common policies
(commerce, agriculture, science). These projects have contributed
to the modernisation of Europe, and allow Europeans to express
their solidarity and to build solid bonds between them.
A marked preoccupation to keep and promote Europes

independence and originality. The EU should be able to express
views that are different from those of other powers, even allies
such as the US. Our interests are not always the same, as
demonstrated in the trade area. This applies to political issues,
such as the Middle East, for which Europes vision is necessarily
different given its geographical situation, or to global matters such
as environment, Europe being at the forefront of the fight against
global warming having led to the Kyoto Protocol, whereas the US
refuses to consider global measures to combat this global threat; it
is also the case for cultural matters (policy on cultural diversity
promoted by France, then the EU, and consecrated in an
international convention of UNESCO in 2005). In another field,
Europe is expected to be an active provider of Public Development
Aid to the least developed peoples, of Africa in particular: the EU
provides 55% of the development aid in the world (France itself
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will give 9 Billion in 2007, or 0.5 % of its GDP, and it provides

19.5% of the resources of the European Development Fund).
France wants to make sure that the Doha Round launched by the
World Trade Organisation will really work in favour of the least
developed countries and that the other industrialised nations will
follow the European example, to open its markets to all the
products of these countries, duty free, except for armaments.
France considers that the EU should promote the European

social model, including protection for the workers and universal
health systems.
France is reluctant to abandon its sovereignty for matters

that can be better dealt with at the national level. Therefore, it is a
strong supporter of the principle of subsidiary, that was
consecrated in the draft constitution.
The rejection of the European Constitution by the

French referendum of 29 May 2005 is symptomatic of the
crisis that the European unification process is going through.
2.1 The French electors, at a strong majority (54,67 %) rejected a

project that was deeply French-oriented and managed.
Paradox: the French took a leading role in shaping the

draft constitution within the Convention chaired by M.Valry
Giscard dEstaing, former President of the French Republic. This
constitution was mainly supposed to restore the decision process
inside the EU and better articulate the European institutions and
the national ones, two problems often identified in France as the
root of EUs main defects. Precisely, the most vocal critics of the
EU in France and other countries were targeting the progressive
paralysis of the institutions, deriving from an uncontrolled process
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of enlargement, and the invasion of national prerogatives by the

European bureaucracy.
2.2. The debate prior to the vote was rather irrelevant.
The public debate during the campaign was rather

monopolised by domestic issues, and it seems that for a part of the
electorate (in particular within the Left), the referendum was an
opportunity to express discontent towards the French Government.
Moreover, the European issues the most discussed had nothing to
do with the referendum, but rather with the projected accession of
Turkey to the EU, and with a directive taken by the Commission
liberalizing cross-border employment (the so-called Bolkenstein
directive).
2.3 But the French vote was symptomatic of a crisis in the

perception of the European unification process, and even of the
process itself.
In France, the European unification process has from its

beginning been the target of critics for its technocratic nature and
its aloofness from the citizen. For example, successive reforms of
the CAP have been opposed, sometimes violently, by peasants
who saw themselves as victims of a faceless bureaucracy. A strong
euro-sceptic undercurrent has developed this lack of trust and
accused the European institutions to steal the sovereignty that
belongs to the French people. This current exists in most of the
political parties, and came close to win the referendum for the
ratification of the Maastricht Treaty (instituting the European
Union) in 1992.
This euro-scepticism was amplified in 2005, with the

theme that Europe was dismantling the French welfare state and all
the protections that the French citizen receives from the State. This
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was seen as a consequence of the reforms introduced under the

Maastricht treaty, in particular as regards monetary and budgetary
policy, as well as economic competition policy: these policies tend
all to establish a system of liberal competition among the member
states, and in the fact to deregulate the economy, without what was
seen in France as the necessary counterbalance, the setting up of
an unified economic and social policy.
In particular, there is the sense that countries like France

have abandoned the mastery of their currency, but that no common
European policy has replaced the French monetary policy, as the
management of the European Central Bank (albeit chaired by a
Frenchman M Trichet) is seen as conservative and alien to the
French tradition. Furthermore, the common budgetary policy is
nothing more than a few guidelines expressed in a negative sense
(failure to meet the criteria). Therefore, many citizens have the
impression that the French State has abandoned them to the forces
of international financial markets and there is no unified European
will behind a truly European economic policy. Eventually, many
people believe that this process leads to a lack of autonomy vs
vs the US, that are able to manipulate a weak set of institutions in
their own benefit.
This negative perception was not limited to France. In the

Netherlands, where a referendum took place shortly after, also the
negative vote prevailed. In other countries, governments preferred
to submit the ratification to a vote in Parliament, avoiding the
public debate that could have led to the reaction registered in
France and in the Netherlands. More generally, the citizens of the
founding members all express the same uneasiness with the
latest evolution of Europe, in particular a process of enlargement
that seems out of control, leading to the inclusion of countries that
have little interaction with the historic founders of the EU, such as
Cyprus, the Baltic and Balkan states. Moreover, euro-skeptic
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tendencies have surged in places where that were totally

unexpected, such as Italy (a strong supporter of Europe since its
beginning) or Poland (a new member, supposed to benefit from the
enlargement process).
A general sense of disappointment towards Europe stems

from various other factors: in general, there is a lack of excitement
and enthusiasm about Europe, and the citizens fail to see the
interest of this institution that does not relate with them personally
and that they fail to understand. While growing bigger, the EU
became more and more complex, as for instance some important
members decide to stay outside important common policies such
as the common currency (Denmark, Sweden and UK) or the
system of a common visa Schengen (Ireland and UK). Europe
suffered setbacks when its members sat on opposite sides on
important international issues such as the war in Iraq from 2003.
Therefore, the attitude of the French electorate is

symptomatic of a mood that has been getting rather gloomy
recently in Europe. Another sign is the fact that 8 states decided,
after the French and Dutch votes, to delay their own ratification
procedure. However, the French are in no way turning their backs
to Europe, and on the contrary, and the results of a recent opinion
poll are telling in this regards : 66% see themselves as French and
Europeans; 54% believe that participation of France in EU is
globally positive, but 82% think that EU is too far from the
citizens preoccupations.
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French proposals for a fresh start of the European Union.

France has proposed a three-tier approach to the current
issues of the EU.
3.1 The EU should not feel paralyses by the current situation, and
the present institutions (Council of Ministers, Commission and
Parliament) should go forward solving the urgent problems
whenever possible, with the help of the member states sense of
responsibility.
This was possible, effectively, for adopting the next budget

(2007-2013) with a substantial reduction of the special discount
given to the UK since 1984. Further, France believes that we can
obtain some progress in the functioning of the EU within the
present institutional frame, in areas such as the citizens security,
the reinforcement of the social dimension of the EU, the
reinforcement of the EU action towards the exterior, or a better
implication of the national parliaments, by an institutionalised
dialogue between them and the Commission. In the meantime, the
EU progresses in implementing important common projects such
as Galileo (launching of 30 satellites for building a new
positioning system). In another field, France has proposed in 2005
the creation of a European pole for organising common rescue
efforts in case of catastrophe such as the tsunami. Together with
Germany, France proposes other projects in the area of Internet
(Quaero) or higher education (European Technology Institute).
Also, France has proposed a new European energy policy, which
has been adopted.
3.2. The EU should start a reflection on enlargement.
France considers that the enlargement is a real success. The

European Community was founded to insure peace and democracy
and to favour economic and social development in Europe. The
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previous enlargements to relatively less developed countries have

proved extremely successful in this regard.
However, many European citizens have the impression that this
process was decided and carried out without their implication or
consent. It is therefore necessary to submit this process to an
enhanced political monitoring.
This debate has begun, on the proposal of France, during

the European Council of 15 and 16 June 2006. There the Heads of
State and Government discussed a new concept: the capacity of
absorption of the Union. It was formally decided that the rhythm
of the enlargement shall heed the absorption capacity of the Union.
This new concept should encompass various dimensions: the
institutional, the political and financial, and the perception of
enlargement by the citizens.
This political monitoring of the future enlargement is

essential to preserve the coherence and efficiency of the EU and
make sure that in the future the Union will be able to work
politically, financially an institutionally when it enlarges, and to
deepen the common European project.
Following the latest Council, the Commission is in charge

of making a special report on all aspects pertaining to this concept
when it will present its annual report on the enlargement process.
This debate will be resumed at the next European Council in
December.
3.3. The EU should re-examine the institutional issues without

pressing time constraints.
It is politically difficult to represent the draft constitution in

France and in the Netherlands for the time being. On the other
hand, it would be unjust and unacceptable to start the process
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anew, since 15 member states have already approved the

constitution. Moreover, everybody agrees that the present situation
is unsustainable, in particular as regards the organisation of the
Commission (1 Commissioner for each member state, big or
small). Therefore, it is necessary to re-examine the question
progressively. As France proposed, it was decided at the European
Council to ask Germany to prepare a report during its presidency
in 2007; the decision would be taken during the French presidency
in 2008. In the meantime, several countries in Europe, including
France, would have had elections, and the citizens received the
opportunity to better inform themselves of the reality of the
European situation, and take a fresh look at it.
Conclusion
The history of the new Europe shows that it progresses

through a succession of crises, and the movement has always been
forward. Therefore, we can be optimistic on the present situation.
The building of a new Europe is not easy, as there are no

models to follow. It is an entirely new concept, neither a
Federation nor a Confederation of states, but a delicate
compromise between the force of the union and the legitimate
sense of belonging to a nation.
Whereas it is difficult to create a pro-European feeling

among the populations, it is clear to demonstrate that Europe is
necessary to ensure peace, stability, prosperity, strength. Europe
does not speak easily to the hearts, but it does to the brain. This is
why France believes in concrete projects that can demonstrate the
usefulness of Europe to the citizens.
The European Union is synthesis of different views and

different national inputs. The French promote a Europe of
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projects where different people decide to work together towards a

common goal, also a Europe which has a distinctive voice in the
world and is able to play an international role in favour of peace
and development.
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Arc De Triomphe, Paris, France
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Romania Voronet Monestry
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The Roles and Foreign

Policy of Romania for
becoming a New EU Member
next year
H.E.Christian Teodorescu
The Ambassador of Romania to Thailand
H.E.Friedrich Hamburger:
This is so glad for me to welcome you here today and to

start the new lecture here on Europe at the Centre of European
Studies, Chulalongkorn University. I would like to thank Dr.
Charit in particular for bringing us together at the regular interview
to discuss the series on Europe. Why are the crack people from the
outside and why this course is concerned for the people inside? It
is the good pleasure for me to start out this year, this time with my
friend, Christian, from the high school, the ambassador of
Romania.
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Romania is looking forward to membership of EU by the

year 2007. But I think it is good a little bit to see the Europe comes
from and where Romania comes from and it is raising the title of
the lecture. Name the foreign policy of Romania before an edge
becoming in November is quite important.
I was started with one observation that Romania is

democratic tradition which was surely in the Second World War. It
is the European tradition and for that reason it is no big surprised
to somebody who looks in European history that Romania is
becoming for the full member of the European Union. But how did
we get there. When I started the political science in the 60s, there
was a theory of monolithic block to COM Minister Empire. But
this monolithic system was actually dismissed. If you look at the
Budapest up rising of 1956, the independent policy was developed
by Michael Tito from Yugoslavia. And all of the quite independent
foreign policy attempts by the Romanian Government. Besides it
is full membership of the Soviet block to have a voice of its own in
independent atmosphere, it quite successfully at that. Romania is
also not as many people as may believe in the Galwegian society.
It was an industrialised country at the time of the century from the
19s to the 20s. Science, technology, human capacities of Romania
were renowned many years before the First and the Second World
War.
Now, I was briefly described my perception of what

changed or what thought about the down of communist you may
remember is that Europe quite shorn after the Second World War.
Creativeness of the council of Europe, it allowed the dialogue first
only between the Eastern European Countries on humanised
democracy culture exchanges of the information. It was somehow
the good cautions of the democratic future of Europe and I think it
was so very fast. I did a decision to open membership in those
cultures to count the relationship with the Eastern Europe. As you
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know now also Russia and Turkey are long term members of
account of the Europe.
Secondly, it started to be forgotten because it was so far

gone of co-operation. It is the organisation for security in Europe
OACE which based on the acting from 1975 and it was actually an
attempt by the leader of the Soviet Union to make a devote us is
that the old out of the confiscation of a Second World War
permanent and he had to pay a price for this. We could now say he
did not know that he would pay such a price. A price was a
conflict and the confident building measures, including the culture
exchanges and the information exchanges and on the behalf of the
Soviet side this arm moment.
In the OACE, the development over the 17s and 18s, we

found that the concision what the Soviet looking for could be
bought by the western side in the question on United States and
Canada and also the European democracy by concision on
humanised. It is a danger thing to allow humanised, liberalised
idea in the Soviet system. I dont have to talk about the pact spring
of 1968 by these talks. My country, Austria, at that time was
playing as an important role in the northern countries as a glow
between northern countries and the OACE, together with Finland,
with the divided Soviet Union, with Sweden, with Ireland, with
Switzerland, with Yugoslavia. And Yugoslavia played the very
casual in this discussion.
What brought the Soviet Union beside OACE? It was

surely that the decision by NATO. I was called the two tracks
decision of stationing shot rain nuclear weapon. The NATO
including in the West Germany. It is the force of Soviet Union to
make more concision of humanised culture exchanges information
opening up the Soviet society.
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In the mean time, Europe goes from 6 to 9 to12 and by 95

to 115 countries and actually its attractiveness go with west. So, it
was only a logically statistically development after and before
curtain which came about in 89. Its decision is to not to shoot at
people at any longer who free this Soviet system. Lets brought
about this change and the inspiration on the Eastern European side
of the member of the Warsaw pact, from the Warsaw pact now to
remember the European routes that democratic and cultural and
historical traditions. And of course, they felt that NATO and the
United States as the liberator of Europe in the Second World War.
Worth to thank.
I think the European Union become the matter of polity

and offer to these countries escaping communism to transform the
economies and the societies. The economies move toward into the
globalising world. The societies move back where the values really
were. And I think that the 10 new states that we have taken in 2004
and this success of that enlargement can be shone, of course in the
other books, in the investment books, in the new employment
figures, not only in Eastern Europe but also in Western Europe.
But they can even be more shone in the faces of Eastern European
brothers and sisters. The face is shown of hope and really shown of
new self-confidence that is able to deal with destiny.
Now, what and where they main criteria for the

membership deviate down in criteria. That is independent
democracy, free market economy, and the compatibility in the
social economic sphere. I think the second and the third criteria
should be seen together, we are not talking about the market and
capitalism. We are talking about the social market system as the
development in the old member states. This is the attention
extreme strong and I was claimed mainly because it allows the
habit sustained and supported transformation. These countries do
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not benefit from the membership only as from the entry to the
force of the tradition.
The 10 now members and now Romania and Bulgaria have

benefited over the last 1 year from increasing amount of financial
and compassed support. To make it ready for the membership if
you look at the introduction of investment in Eastern Europe
which repaid from the European bank for the construction and
development and the European investment bank?
If you look at many financial programmes to help those

countries to raise the standards in the field of the embankment,
social standards is set up also that hands to bring in the long into
membership by allowing them already to participate in many
social and research programmes. So, on the first of January, when
Romania and Bulgaria hopefully shine, they would be fully able
and ready to participate in all activities of the European Union.
Now there is some of homework need to be done.
First of all, I would ask you over the period of the

membership negotiations. A lot of homework has been done
successfully. All changes of previous membership waves not all of
the homework could be completed by the day of membership.
What is it important to European Union express by the

commission report on the 16th of May? It is that decline of
implementation goes in the direction and actually that ability of
transformation. So, for those reasons, in spite of the report was not
proposing yet to take these members on broad by the 1st of
January. The reaction by the government of Romania and Bulgaria
to this report is very positive; it is cover aging to them. It is yes,
we can do it. And we will meet the deadline of the new review in
October this year. My guess is that if the implementation speech
and sincerity continue as the speech, they will be no problems at
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all for the member states to agree to Romania and Bulgaria by the
1st of January.
I would like talk very briefly as the observation I was made

about the NATO. It is obvious that with the experiences of Europe,
the NATO has an equally strong attraction to the Eastern European
Union countries. It is somehow guaranteed that they would be no
sleeping back in security tensions among members to what
tensions with neighbouring countries.
What has been, may be also over look over the years is,
how important it is for every countries that wants to join the
European Union to make sure that it brings a long into the union a
peaceful neighbourly environment. First on the inside, meaning,
having deal with minority problems within the country and having
deal with neighbouring countries security concerns the only
country that shine the European Union without having concluded
this process.
So far, we hope that the excision of Romania and Bulgaria

will make it even more obvious that is an achromatic. And
therefore it should be resulted in the peaceful manner in the
European spirit as I would call it. So, with this, I am looking for
very much forward to Christian Teodorescu to lecture because I
would like to know more about how us is the Future of Romania in
Europe. Thank you for your attention.
H.E.Christian Teodorescu:
The title was risen foreign policy of Romania for becoming

the new EU member in 2007 and I allow myself to add step the
integration road to that European Union. This title extends to me
by the multitude of the thing I suppose to leave out from Romania
the first door of the European integration.
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On the review, I realised that it should not be solved

necessary. In relation of Romania integration regional political
economic statistic structure and the alliances. My countrys foreign
policy cannot be seen apart from general on the encompassing
government policy in term of leisure reforms and changes with
implication and reflection.
Communist in Romania in December 1989, the main goals

of not only for the countries for democracy but also together
national consensus and forget is successive democratically elective
government were essential element into the Europe democratic
integration.
In the year 2004, at the board summit Romania was invited

to join the NATO and started contributing to the alliances security
peace and revolutionability in the West Bulgaria and the
Afghanistan. The invitation was achieved when the NATO
membership who recognition Romania to progress into the
democracy consult regional ability as well as to wear stream lining
mongrelisation and increase the ability which is arm forcing. My
country interest the strong relationship for regional ability
development. We will be shown it again through Romania this
year of the black.
Exception to the European Union membership, why

stressing on fulfillment criteria related on the democratic society
also imply the requirements of similarity and dogging the Achie
development of functional marketing economy solutions for the
innumerable. Social, political and economical issues brought about
by Romanias painfulness and long transitions to the new era. The
implement is necessary changes in the Romania society and
economy may be faith at the goals of important social sacrificed
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and it especially in the last few years at noticeably speedily

arrange have let to increase recognition by the European Union.
Now about current schedule year after year. More chapter

than the negotiations 51 were open, some of them closed, and we
share on every country report. Romania felt and appreciated more
permanent co-operation and consultation European commission
and it increase encouragement solidity and support of the
European Union.
Gradually, the number of the domains make with red flags

diminishes as more and more criteria where fulfill all advancing
toward fulfillment.
On April 25, 2005 Romania signed in Luxembourg as the

treaty of accession to the European Union. It was Romania and
Bulgaria and the treaty. So far, by 17 out of 25 EU member states
separated the propose admission on January 1, 2007 with the
safeguard close on a possible 1 year despondence.
Based on the Romania hard work toward the European

Union, accession of a signature of the treaty was assumed as in the
gates of NATO admission as yet another success of Romania
diplomacy and implementing the state policy. Related countries
both of Romania and Bulgaria presented the European parliament
by the commission on May 16, 2006. A visit of the two countries
should be prepared for membership on the January 1, 2007
provided the address and the number outstanding issues.
Concretely, firm continuation of reformed regulation

required in Romania case mainly in the field of agriculture and
traditional system. Action is a required mainly in technical
concrete matters. Subsequence, position express by the European
parliament members after the report presentation reviews mainly
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trust in Romania ability to comply with the easy conditions EU

time, but also in real occupation of the consistent of consistent
domains, some fields still need prompt attention. The world
parliament totally voices contesting Romania readiness for
accessing by the year 2007 and some voices doubts about the use
retinues for the 5th May in the last month also.
In Romania officially circled and society alike considered

the report as affair and objective. The condition is concluded main
as full of thought and the assertive to action of the Romania
authorities toward fulfillment on schedule of the target ahead. The
existing analysis opinion was reflected by the mass media showing
some disappointments for not receiving the final answer on the
exaction date. There was more pessimistic assessment and
comments about the tougher condition both to grant that appear
with each successive way of enlargement.
This issue is evidenced by the European commercial right

now is a short list. There is consulted that building on progress
already made Romania needs to continue affords and demonstrate
for the result in the corruption notably in terms of firm
investigation and subsequent tradition perfidy. Also Romania
needs to consult the complementation of the on-going traditional
reforms and further in hence of efficiency.
In addition, Romania needs to have a credit for paying

agency for a handling common agriculture policy expand nation,
build up the necessary rendering collection for treatment facility in
line with the Archie and any more with the products and make sure
with that tax and IT systems are ready for the ability with those all
the rest of Union to in able collection of VIT through out the
European Union into no mark. The economic commission was
reported once more in early October in progress achievement
which consider on January, 1 2007 can be maintained.
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Irritation to the report with that I underline was considered

comprehensive affair and addressing matters which required the
media of attention. My country has some general co-message or
some domains under international scrutiny. There are measures
related to minority rights.
Analysis of values about this has done on nature; they can

buy Romanian government in succession in relation to the
minority rights. Press of Romania as a model across Europe in
terms of protecting minoritys rights. Guarantees are offered for
insuring and preserving the ethical and cultural and religious
identity of minorities. Important measures toward improving the
condition of the Roma population has been adopted by the
Romanian Government currently holding the Roma inclusion
decade presidency an international programme for the Roma and
community in Centre of South Eastern Europe.
To measure of the children live. The comprehensive legal

is known impress and fully harmonised with the UN convention on
children lives. The authorities are focusing now on the available
categories of children such as homeless, express and traffic
children harmonized children with disability. Particular attention
will be paid to the case with childrens parents abroad. Over all,
huge progress was known.
In popularity, a policy is 100% focus on implementation.

Romania has fully aligned this registration in the field of
intellectual industrised property rights and strengthens its capacity.
All the ministers devoted the necessary are impress and both
public and private organisation, cooperate in preventing and
fighting in industry property rights influence.
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A strategy and an action plan were adopted being closely

insured by the implementation. State procurement of a policy
directed to strengthen in the inspiration of public splendid expand
nature. Currently finalising comprehensive consist registrative and
regular procurement. Romania established a procurement authority
in July, 2 2005.
In order to security government organisation in the line

with Archie, a flow control system is being established with being
the measure of the public finance. All exception from acceptable
procurement procedure notably in terms of new concession has
been frozen until EU compactable registration will be adopted.
The internal market, Romania is ready to complete.

Romania has reached the EU level in the field of competition role
and entire trust registration and each a few step away from
reaching the EU standard in the state as field as west. The progress
achieved in 2005 has left through to throw away from the domain
area with serious concern for the European commission.
Environmental issues are probably addressed. There is the

2005 commission monitoring report with the knowledge solid
progress is completed by Romania such as air quality, nature
protection, chemical and genetic modify organism, noise, and
nuclear safety and radiation protection.
Most of the Archie has already been integrated in the

international registration. Even I speak, related to the evince flu,
confronted with the efficient crisis management. The Romanian
government is highly aware of food safety issues in the European
Union. This was proved by the energetic nature they can buy.
Romanias authority is in responsibility of the evince flu price.
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Significant major was taken ready in 2006. Concerning the

adoption of strategy for combining animal diseases, particular
success is obtained in combining classic swine fever and there was
an exposure of the slaughter house. An object of attention to the
European commission is now manages structure and co-heater
funds. The Romanian government policy is directed toward the
strengthening to the main goal is to increase the absorption great of
structure of co-heater funds and to ensure the high level of
management expertise.
Romania focuses on the strengthening in the capacity to the

speeding of the precluding process, organising, training, crosses
attractive financial rewards to those involved to the EU funds.
Fighting against the corruption and reforming of registration was
strengthened investigation what launched. There is a strong
commitment and efficient measures these two domains.
In addition, awareness of the urgency of reforming the

system. The government proves political way in the last year the
most profile reform since the former of communist, in terms of
strategy, registration and implementation.
This reform of traditionally significantly strengthen about

this system. Therefore, the results are now visible. There is a
strategy on action plan established in March, 2005. The
independent of the justices were guaranteed by the period.
Fighting against the corruption, the mission of the national

entire corruptions strategy 2005-2007 is a prevented counting
corruption by refining and legally implementing.
The principal of the base of the strategies are the rule of

law, good governors, responsibility, prevention of corruption acts,
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transparency, consultation of the society and also social dialogue.

Also the important of public private partnership is stress.
As a conclusion, Romania and the Romania west eagerly

for the European Union. They hope the exaction date will be on
January 1, 2007. And I determine to work hard to attain this goal.
The occupation of the dimension of population is comes next after
the dimension is shown the authority and society ability what
comes next is exciting for all Romanians worrying for some,
indifferent to none.
Accession of the full member Romania to the European

Union given all the geographic belongings to the confinement all
the historian European aspiration and contribution the European
and the world culture send to the union will be for us like coming
home.
During all difficulties here of transitions the more develop

through the un-strengthening work of the European commission in
closing interaction frequent evaluation missions and peer review
with Romanian authority. The more hard warning is what to know
the gradual strengthening of the Romanians regains bonding with
all nations of Europe.
Their eagerness is to co-operate and fairly complete on

common equal ground. Even after the integration, Romania was
shown the readiness process of reform priority given to the
tradition and internal affair and the centre of the corruption fight.
After the membership, Romania intends to be actively involved in
essentially chooses, related to the future of the European
construction as the constitution of treaty, the respond of 2000
strategies that is European for the development. The head 2004
programmes on consultation of liberty security and justice, related
to the future expansion. Neighbourhood policies, energy security,
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grand European info-structure projects, and the European Unions

role in the international relation.
Certainly, this will also align to Romanian relations among

cum in Thailand as the important position. Working within the
Union, Romania diplomacy should also be prepared to evaluate
and clearly define Romanias role and contribution toward
fulfillment of all common goals.
Stating once again that Romania foreign policy while

maintaining its national particularities which included after the
accession to the EU all the domains and objective with the Union
foreign policy. I will start that the countrys dimensions is the
position, population and economic potential with certain that make
that contribution that significant one. I thank for your kind of
attention and look forward to answer your questions of these with
my ability and the information.
In question if possible we might see some short

presentation eliminating a dry character of the red lecture about
Romania. Its a very short video presentation.
Ambassador what is your view on EU the constitution? Are

you going to accept it one of your view? What your view you
havent mentioned it?
Yes, we have mention that Romania intends to be

imprecating after accession in the matter related to the European
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Union future including treaty of constitution. Now given the

examination or thinking period which was taken after some of the
European countries have adopted that treaty and that some
countries had not thought reference through. I presumed that
during the next presidency of the truce of the European Union the
matter will exam again and certainly including instrument and
related to the functioning of European in the future. Let dont
forget the five waves of abscission after now. Theres the matter of
functioning such as animus body already continue 25 countries and
hopefully from 2007 on what 27 with an open window to our
further enlargement. Yes, Romania consider that treaty similar to
profession of the constitution should exist for Europe and probably
the matter will be further examined on what after the period of
reflection by the European Union.
Exactly as a Thai person I understand normally when you

go to transition the populations of the country come to a lot of
stress and concern. Can you give me as a Thai some idea of how
Romanian considers and what they concern about and how they
stress about? It actually fact you know ,so I get the idea about what
your population has to face and how you go out to make them feel
okay about it.
Its the matter of the satisfaction now we look back on

rather tough moment it related to hash step toward ourselves, hash
intersection with in Romania society related to what need to be
done. And practically is the scarified which took place and change
mentality does not only mentality does not only take times, but it
also stresses on a risks between generation thinking and shows the
capacity of each person and each stratum in a society that to adopt
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to change to a new. It was painful. Its because our accession to the

European Union. Its regarded as the matter of changing standard,
of choosing the better one, of a healing to the value. We once use
to have which have to return consultation and incentive to pass
through this very difficult transitional period. These are national
constants. Everybody saw the light of getting those standards. If
we geographically are in Europe, frankly why not walk with the
best.
The best develop with the highest standard of economic

development, social protection cultural and education unleveled.
True Romania can and does both with some notable contribution
to European culture, but it was all interaction. And nation didnt
forget that it was all interaction. Its both waste. This is the way
Romania approach the matter of integration. Not under said over
ranges of attitude of subjects to the invasion or something like that.
On the country, the free dominances of our entering to the
European country is compared by a number of poet and annalists
alike. Fake building event in the nation in the country history.
Thats the Romania Empire the advancement toward to our part of
the world. We should to append and the creation of Romania.
Ambassador Hamburg:
I would like to remark about the suffering of the Austrian

population before joining the European Union. What I mean they
always thinks that vary people wanting caused the major problem
was by joining the European Union. We have to allow the transit
of truce Germany and Italy over a month. It was huge sociological
problem. Other one was at beginning at least the Catholic Church
in sprite of very few Austrian being strong believer. The Catholic
Church felt that joining the European Union would some how add
even more materialism to daily life of the often and against the
membership.
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Oddly when the Polish pope said that joining the European
Union is rejoining the family which we should be along. The
bishop decided to follow his advice. There was another big
problem. You know Austrias very mountains, has a lot of forest
and we dont have enough living spaces. We think we dont, so we
were afraid that rich people from Germany, Holland, Great Britain
would come and buy second home and would make to real state
too expensive for farmer and local holiday secret.
Big problem, huge debate. There was another problem and

there was no neutrality. We have to give up neutrality. Neutrality
as we knew it. It was always real in peoples mind and on the
ground because right after we greed in order to get state treaty.
What kind of peace treaty was Soviet Union. Soviet Union
demanded for being neutral, but neutrality does so well that people
doesnt want to give it up.
So you cannot call all these things major problems which

regard to our. The worst thing was we are rich country. We were
cheer when the poorer country was in the European country and
become less prayer in the budget. Terrible problem. We may loss
the job, but the studies are made over the year actually we could
prove that job had created. Farmer had more income. Everything
got better. We use this all choice of transition because after Second
World War. Most of our big industry was national last. We lived
our life on economy. We became more export orientate and not
German for all goods economy. Just like island, for is land
membership was reparations from the day British dominates. So
the polish and another country all together at the end make the
Romania extremely happier I think in joining and we didnt forget
the burble and the satisfied they made.
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If you would ask any Austrian was I told you, he wouldnt

remember, he wouldnt know what he had to give up or cheer. He
wouldnt remember, he wouldnt know. If we have a new
generation, after 10 years membership, this was a new generation
that does not. The only things that stick in peoples head is
everything becomes more expensive, but you know if we wouldnt
have join. Our cost of living would have even further because
soon. We would have had economy like Switzerland or Norway
where life is extremely expensive.
This is bringing us to the here on side of national

integration in very real way. Theres no question on the floor at the
moment. Lets me asked a question may be perhaps to both of you
at the time of the last year enlargement. There were voices
concerns about the polish Plummer flushing Paris. I wonder if
happening now regard to Romania whatever, may I ask both of
you.
If I may start the answer to this, the studies had been done
and are been done about what will be the imprecation related to
work force and labor migration in Europe. Conclusion was seem to
be all together positive apparently the union is or should be at ease
in relation to potential eventual imagine, but analyse through study
not extremely large wave of migration.
Romania and Bulgaria are going toward the Western

Europe. Now the situation is related to qualification, legal
migration and needs of countries who would want to import some.
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In what some of presentation I was mentioning that the

Romania is the second language at the Microsoft. Thats fact.
Capable Romania had been attractive than them. The second
language in Microsoft in Europe is Romanian. Second language in
Microsoft over all global is Romanian. Now this is going for a lot
of national something like that. Those people are very well
required to end their permanent migration would be certainly a
loss for Romania also, but unfortunately they do remember
Romania and having been born there. Over all its set. Its a
necessary approximation that currently out of near 22 million
Romanians. Some 2 million work aboard mostly in Europe. Its
seasonal work. They go back and make some money with their
special qualification and get back to Romania invest a bit, bill a
bit, buy a new car or whatever. Important amount of money our
sense through that banking, channel, the Western Union, type like
channel, so permission and unofficial channel which gradually
being foretell. This is another way of interaction on the labor
market in Europe. Theres need for paramedic. We are known for
good preparation in paramedical field. There are needs of engineer
for constructor or whatever.
What is Romania state is trying to do is regular rights the

flow of course probably having suffer during the tough year of
transition the man in the street will said yes youre given
possibility. I like to work aboard, but the annalist including very
recently, very creditable Austrian Institute related to the European
Union future shows that so called waves of labor migration error,
matter of prejudice or error in any case work is seasonal or
temporary or whatever, so we ourselves feel certain sense of loss
because Romania is developing in a quarter to what our partner in
the European Union and our gold member in a very near future
want us to develop domain in which lack of expert will tell and
will be obey to import the expert.
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It would be a very nice pull of Thailand than the huge one

with the United Europe. I have been a chef negotiate for the F
accouter on the mobile of the movement of people in simply
market between FIND European Community. Between 1809 and
91, its a very difficult subject populist. The Polish plumber, its
ICHIMEER. We knew it was Irish, but the politician still can
attack large crowd by the time we negotiate it briefly movement of
person between FIND and Easy accomplish before we join the
European Union only 2 percent of the European labor force war
mobile. This percentage has significant among 25 member states
to balance 1.4 percent, so economic goes usually the activity
people at home.
The better of the economy new member state are doing the
more they will absorb the local labor force which would not easily
be employable in any other countries because of the language
various and skill various and decommission or even if we had
freedom of movement between Romania and the least of the
Europe. I would think that many of the qualified to middle
unqualified labor force in Romania would find work easier at
home than in many other member states. What the mobility pass
the tax when its offer, would be high qualified labor and medical
doctor and engineer trained in Romania had a very good education
most likely on 5 to 10 times as much if you would settle, so there
is the risk.
Actually there is the risk of the gain rain, but I think that
also have to do with the lack even of well qualified. While labor
force, they see opportunity at home just as much. Were afraid of
the East Germany Midwest, so what the Polish Plummer to fan to
East Germany Midwest what to Austria. Anyway, that was it was
because the Midwest and Austria had training of one and a half
year, 18 months. They were very well qualified to do their work,
but the eastern Germany one had a three years of tough year of
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training and very much cheaper, so if they would flush European

market huge among of Austria Midwest will loss their job was a
real problem.
I think we also have about 1500 Midwest, but 7500 East

Germany are waiting for opening the moment to Austria. We
counted the East Germany Midwest after 3 years and there were 9
who came from East Germany to Austria to practice, so were
another problem was the dentist. The dentist special section, so
they need for I dont know 10 years or 6years medical school and
then 4 years dentist school. Others European Countries have
dentists who are not full medical doctor who get diploma after 4 to
5 years. Big problem! They often dentist thinking would loss up,
so we got transition period ahead of them which I negotiated their
way and it was commission offer it to Austria anyway because
they wanted to be nice to us. I could convince Austria the offend
dentist to not wear a plastic and we got it anyway, so where the
commission see that the country need more times then the country
that negotiate that the better take the break.
Now I would said for Romania labor force of course they

will be opportunities of employments in Bulgaria, in Greek, in
Austria, in Germany, but Im not afraid of bigger anonymous
movement it never happen order to find way enlargement. It didnt
happen.
Dr. Chatthree:
You talked about corruption as you know we have a lot of

corruption here and want to find out how you dealing with it. You
mention this entire organisation just a systematic kind of set up,
but as you know corruptions not easy to deal with in unofficial
manner. Do you have any other matrix which will make
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Ambassador Hamburg satisfied that you have done your job well
you know impractically sense.
The European commission focus is on reality and the

possible fighting corruption in any p[lace is a process. First you
have to have road. Then, you have to have the operator man to
implement and enforce with the road. According to assessment
made by the European commission which I believed his
Excellency of Ambassador Hamburg are completely right, studies
in the capacity and possibility within society which proposed to be
accepted among the member of the European Union. They know
very what happen if the European Union specified that progress
had been made. Now they still a lot of work to do and therere for
part of the flag, red and yellow also preoccupied still exist. Its the
matter of evidence.
I have some research here of the national ethic corruption

department for 2005, but probably I better show my explanation
the fact that the Judi surely has become independence and
efficiencies that the last 1 year and a bit has been the year of
changes and the year of grand 5 related inclusively to corruption
cases. I believed that the near future will see the continuation of
this afford in which lots of officious high to medium left which
never had made before the object of such as sorrow follow in
justice of their case the continuation is going to happen. Now
famous name Romania yesterday and today government are with 5
at the national anti-corruption department under studies called for
the expirations with tradition inquiry already studies. They get
suspension from any power position; any state position in case
they get in dried.
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Romania to say 10-15 years ago very disappointed with the

way justice used to function and who seldom sold any famous
name around here being bought at least inquiry. This situation now
a day seems very satisfactory. The mass media, the secret society
had had a great role in this, but the requirement important and
precise given to us through the experience of the whole union by
the European commission works is price less. Lets put it like this
in relation to the role of European commission in Romania.
Forbiarabis and Chelley are the best well known name of foreigner
in Romania. They are people like our dear Ambassador Hamburg
here, head of integration of European commission. Thiss the
demotic life Mr. Shelley already given interview priority and
omissions. They are among the most well-known foreigners in the
land. They had gone every where. There was no subject in which
they were not either as intended and did express themselves they
contributed enormously to bring us to where we are in
achievement toward getting closer to the European obsession. That
was I have to say.
Then, corruption one of the important chapter looking

toward to follow of. I have resulted complete with how many
policemen, how many inspectors, how many former politicians,
how many current politicians, how many people in the office
judges whatever.
On the corruption I just want to make one comment and

that is if you look at the red flag better that collection. Better
collection of costume which is community money, tax discipline
by the cities. You have to create less corruption very broadly. Its
not only institution. The third elements were the ability of the
traditional system. Its not only that Romania when they have a
complaint or they go into a legal dispute have access to justice. It
becomes important that every European who deals with Romania
get justice in Romania courts. This is what the European Union
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means, so I think and other red flag is how Romania deals with
financial support from the European by the feet of agriculture. This
is where European member are face with corruption. Not only the
new one. The biggest losses of community money to flout are in
the feet of agriculture and some structure and original fund. Now
every country structure all show all the member state structure
was making sure that the money of populist spend and it and it
adopted.
So, again I would said Romania and Bulgaria have to rise

the standard in this area, so that they become less operatic more
transparent, more accountable change such as this will use time,
but what we know already if they known corruption cases, they
had to be pursued. So European commission is looking actually at
this thing how they twist by investigating by the traditional system.
If we feel that the big fish cant escape no longer the not
and the small fishes are learning by doing the less corrupt they are.
Then were on the right track. Its proposes. Its working in
progress every country around the whole world had to deal with it
and we are looking at how Romania trying to deal with it.
Excellency I just wonder that we aware that youve been

working hard to achieve your goal indication, but in the progress
of doing homework. Whats your greatest concern meeting of
January, 2007? What would be disgusted the issue of trade
creation as well as trade revolution before and after joining the
EU?
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H.E. Friedrich Hamburger:
Thank you very much for the question. As I said in my

lecture even being preoccupied is a state of preparation.
Yes, we are preoccupied by the fact that I give you a very

complete example. Were trying to go in steppe with the European
Union in relation to, for example; environment protection.
It costs us a lot because good acquirement and good major

of protection cause and good preparation of disposed places and
disposes of matrix cost, but its clear that we have to let.
Environment is one of the gains. We had had so far, so were on
the right track. Fill the occupation related to obsession of the 1st of
January, 2007 is an in connection with this according to a very
reason defecation of my minister of foreign affair. Its a first
priority of Romania the promise and tax of Romania Foreign
Policy to ministry and secure adoption of tradition treaty through
the procedure existing in every one of the member countries. It is
the mention of the theme in the 18th. Its very advance. Of the
member have adopted that is passed through part of element done
the adoption of treaty. With the report of the European commission
in the early October and theres preoccupation where thats big
tome enough necessary procedure of passing through parliament of
through whatever in turn our measure the less of the member
would have the red stop to 25. Will there be times enough for them
to do it. Therefore, the Romania, the promise has propose already
that maybe date of the future report would be advance a bit say
September is due October. Thats giving orientation to national
body; reiterative body was still awake of their dicta of ministry in
the counselor of Europe.
I believe that we can make it. Now if you refer to the

congress objective. I took at the list and I know its a list of
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technical matter. Talk about interact ability of system related to

wax collection with European symbolise system. Thats a technical
matter. That can be done with necessary a lot of money in the
remaining time definitely can be done. Now talk about creating the
mean. I said the leaders of the government that practice in the
parliament. Said it can be done, but theres preoccupation related
to, for example; to a creditable of the bodies who will supervise
appending of the fund the provided by the European Union in the
common agricultural of policy. Numbers where had bought into
Romania public related to the fact that between 2007 and 2009.
The government will have 9,000,000 Euro per day to spend who
distributed this who secure qualify distribution of this base of
creditable well done well made profitable in the future projects.
This created change. Thats preoccupation, but I have no doubt
that we can work as well in the remaining times as to find the
number of such institution, association, whatever with sufficient
qualifies people. Not only in counting the money, but also in
examining the project for the wasting the money a lot. Yes it can
be done. Yes it also the matter of preoccupation. I trust the transit.
I would like to know what you would do for the investors?

How do you attack foreign capital to Romania? Thank you.
Thank you very much. In the foreign investment is part of

the strategy of development Romania economy has most of the
European economics are already investor in our economy.
Austria is among the biggest. Now in domains because

Romania did not consider in any field as being except for the
potential investment of foreign capital. Austrian bank is the owner
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of the majority of chairs and petrol National Royal Company is

majority owned by ONV. And doing the wonderful job of it and
gaining chairs of the market and taking the further concession
from research in the Central Asia. This just gives you a thinking of
what has gone up.
Now investment has grown during the last decade.

Currently for the term we usually judge first quarter of this year
say 1.7 billion Euros for in the rest investment and this is not done
for nothing. This is done against the certain type of incentive.
What do we do for attractive for the investors? What there are
domains and domains? There are a few in which investors are not
very attractive because there related to the infrastructure do not
recovery tomorrow. The domains like building the hotels and the
casinos in which you recovery your money tomorrow, but the
grow limited on that side.
I say that through some September that holidays seem

accepting that second advantages should be given to significant
investors like say over 1 million dollar. Like some exception
related to what they import not to promote push forward with that
investment to the circle period of time where is efficient to lot of
investors. The situation in the foreign direct investment is a little
bit.
Little firms created by privateer citizens with any nations if

that they could teach us how to do retail trade from bound trade.
The time has passed for that. Now bursarial it has project
worth some free biding in Europe over the next two years. They
are a lot of firms biding for the orders of those projects of any for
structure modernizations. The parts of them are also the investors
in those projects. The border project, there was a lot of investing
and also going on in that area.
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Then it related to the European Policy of religious. We try

to promote that also through the government corporation and try to
keep attraction of the country to the foreigner investigators.
I think, I have the last thought that while Romania is on the

way. I wonder if anybody in Thailand has though about what he
said about the tip the diversion trade question. In fact of Romania
accession into the EU.
I think, we have been important training partner so they

must be some effect and I hope some people at ministries and
work it out. Well, other while be my responsibility to do it. This is
my last question. I wonder if you can share your thought with us
briefly.
If I understand it correctly, what will be the imprecation on

the bilateral trade on the European Union pay the great attention to
partner like Thailand in relation project of development and
relation to commerce, in relation to the technical-scientific
corporations? I know not simply adjust fancy that the wealth of the
experiences and the number of projects that already implemented
by the European Union with Thailand.
In all field of Potential Corporation will also attract more

attention of Romania, once we are members of the European
Union. At present, were doing good job given concentration of
European commerce. So, what the European Union at the present
some very close to 80 percent of our trade is done with European
Union. Necessary what remains and being done on a trade with
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other continent is the remaining of 20 percent now. With Thailand,

we have an increasing along 4 years of lets the Romania are here
said from 80 million dollars or close to 50 million dollars with
sometimes balance straight at the beginning of the period and
currently with very strong deficit in the favour of Thailand. I
imagined that the things will go on say the target set by private
sectors.
In corporation, we had join Romania and Thailand business

council. There is a little chance that join the chamber of commerce
would be created because there are structure in place is already
with the European Union. And we intend to benefit of that wealth
of experience and the information already in their hand and
hopefully in the near future in our hand. So we maintain our
interest in the development of our trade and corporation with Asia.
After having became undeveloped European Union, we hope for
that trade and corporation to increase.
The Romania has in charge higher terrace than the

European simply market. That actually means by joining these
types will be adjusted to the European ones. Therefore, Romania
will be even more attractive for Thai or South-east Asian exports.
One-thing in over the next 5 to 10 years is between 5 percent to
4percentand considering the practically see the percolate. It means
definitely going markets. We negotiated with Thailand on the
adjustments with regard to where the European market presents
passage tariff or quarter tariff, quarter system like for guides. With
just finish the adjustment for the ten member states will negotiate
next year on Romania and Bulgaria adjustments which will not
mean much, but it will bring things in line. But the potential of the
further goes and of even farther uneven so far great balance treat
by almost guarantee. You look in Europe at the market of 5 million
was Romania and Bulgaria people more than 500 million.
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So, I think the opportunities which faster than average

going in the economics to invest to trade more will increase. How
much will Romania exports more to the European Union. That
remains to seen. Im sure that it will be some easing of agriculture
export to member states, some easing of industry. The European
market are ready the European market was already very open.
What is more interesting and this is what Im looking

forward to is the building up of capacity in Eastern-European
country in defeat of service sector. This is an untapped war or
largely untapped war highly skill people because of system of
good well working-education system. I think that will be the
biggest attraction for new investment in this country.
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The Economic
Integration MERCOSUR
Comparing with EU
H.E.Philippe Flyman
the Argentina Ambassador to Thailand
Thailand is a member of ASEAN which is also on its

working, on its path to regional integration in a number of West.
Like we have the ASEAN free trade area established about 10
years ago, we are talking about establishing the ASEAN
economics community and so and so far. So the idea of regional
integration is the organising principle that informs our work at the
centre for European studies. Why do we talk about Latin-America?
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Because also we understand that Latin-America is also

doing some form of regional integration. I think we in Thailand
and in ASEAN in general dont have very much idea about what
goes on in Latin-America. I speak mostly for myself completely, I
have been to Argentina once only, and it was my good fortune and
I see its a lot to learn. And so Im very happy that today we can
have your Excellency with us to talk about something that we have
share in common interest which is regional integration, and I hope
that your lecture on how economic integration works in
MERCOSUR Region will also help us understand about the idea
how it works better.
H.E.Philippe Flyman:
If we do this more like a group, so instead of reading, my

lecture probably we can talk and it is going more interesting to see
whats going on in Latin-America. Lets me tell you probably in
Latin-America, we dont know so much whats going on here, so
we have to improve our link between the 2 regions and the
specially we have to improve it because there are 2 developing
regions, so it differences when we are talking about the ASEAN -
the US, the ASEAN-the EU, or Latin-America with US or the EU.
Here that we are seeing now in the last few years is that
emerging developing countries are sub economically power, of
course this had been push by China, by India. Developing
countries has more strong roles now in the trade affairs
internationally, so this is important that we can also learn from
each others what is going on. I see, so what mentions before I
happened to be ambassador for 5 years at the embassy of
Argentina working with the trade and economic issue with the EU.
It was an experience. It was important for me to learn about

the process of integration at the EU. Argentina and EU has a very
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conflicting relationship. When the EUs starting to implements

agriculture policy, Argentina start to suffer the consequences of
agriculture policy. So we always say in Argentina we are one of
the country was hinted by agriculture policy of EU. Because in our
history we have a very strong link with EU, once theyre started to
close the market, we started to have re-ended our economy, so we
really we are not very good friend with EU when we come to
discuss trade.
But on the right hand, this is also important when were

talking about integration is that there is political aspect of
integration of EU where I really admirer them. You know to have
the idea, or to have a visional integration, to be able, to overcome
the defense among so many countries. Its really a big effort. The
EU is doing something that we should be really admirer when we
recall history and we said that Europe was a centre of World War 2
that probably was the worst world war we had known. I know of
this sudden, some group of this leaders decided to start working to
overcome the nationally simony to overcome this difference
between among the countries and to be able to create the EU. This
is something amazing. You need to have a kind of leadership to be
looking into the future, to be able to do that.
Of course, we can said we can explain this which causes of

many reasons; there was a conflict with US and Soviet Union at
that times and its necessary to have United Europe, there is one of
the reason, but the main one is that probably if we look at the main
one is to overcome the differences they have among the countries
and this political behind integration and its something that we
have to that we have to look more and more deeply. And I said that
because when were talking about Latin-America, we said so many
countries so many poor countries and we are a neighbour to
overcome our differences, to have an unify Latin-America. We are
still talking in the times of each countries and this doesnt help.
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And if were looking to here in South-East Asia where deal

of our feelings of the nations is are so strong. I mean, it will take
some many decades to have idea of unify in South-East Asia. And
this is such and the EU doing, so in the sense, not in the sense of
the trade where we can have many in discrepancy. In the political
side really we admirer they for there are doing that and I want to
say that because they are a good thing and a bad thing. This is
probably the most the best thing that the EU is doing to try to teach
us about globalisation, about political co-ordination looking in the
world in the different way from the way that we are used to be
looking only from our nation not from the over door from the over
door region. And that makes a different and that explains why
sometimes the process of integration is being delay compare to
others to other regions.
You know, sometimes when we are seeing process of

integration in Latin-America or other part of the world. We dont
try to see what happening in the war. I mean sometimes we should
be looking also each other permanent idea in the world to see how
they effecting our own decision. The micro-suit was started in
1991, but the beginning of 90s, there was many things happen in
the world, so I want to frame the process of integration in Latin-
America to what also happening in the world. Because we are not
isolated sometimes we believe we are doing things by ourselves,
but in reality we are also part of the world process.
And, if we look at in this line there, we see that we are

having the first one the European Union, at that moment being
called the European Community, was working with the idea of
having a single market. The EU started in 1958 and in 1995 they
shut down and decided with so many none tariff varies among the
different countries. They have to continuous the process of
integration. They have to push forward and the idea of pushing
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forward took 7 years from 1985 to 1992 to have a common market,

to have a single market. A single market means that free
simulation of goods amounting of the tariff among the country.
Amounting non-tariff try to have a same rule. When you are in that
process I mean, they are very difficult. Its not so easy to convince
international agency to resign what they are doing in order to
transfer that to another organisation. That what happening in the
EU also we have in the 1992 the end of organisation of the
NAFTA.
This grouping between US, Canada and$$ Mexico, they

finalised the negotiation in 1992 and the NAFTA was born, was
put in effect in 1993, so we have the EU and we have the NAFTA.
And the other very important issue was the bare house agreement
in 1992, there was agreement on agriculture between the EU and
the US that pay their way for Europe use the way around
agreement. So we are having at the beginning of 90s in the world
they knew that we have to have not ration market. Were not our
national market are not enough? I mean our company is not
developed. I mean were being the bottom so far where our
market, so have to push for ration market. This is what US was
doing. This is what EU was doing.
In Asia, we have an ASEAN also in 1992. The starting of

the ASEAN has some form of integration. I dont know how far
you can go in understanding the different process, but I want to
include this line to show the different between FTA and custom
union. Probably most of you already know the different, but in the
way Im sorry for really want to insure that we understand the
FTA and custom union.
FTA is what we have between the US, Mexico, and Canada

every country there they accept idea of this tariff among the
member countries, but they dont give up any civilian. They are
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keeping domestic policy on trade. If we move to custom union, we

are seeing that in custom union we have 3 men features; the
common for its tariff, the common for its trade policy, and high
organisation of common policy. This is something deep. This is
not FTA, I mean, this is one step farer. When we moved into the
custom union, we have to thinking that it will not stop I mean the
level of FTA and we will not stop at the level of increasing trade.
You should be looking to have some kind of organisation

of macro-economic points and this is what is EU was doing. The
EU was started as FTA, later on became the custom union, and
later on became single market. And of course when youre getting
into single market, you have to have also a communisation of
policy, accessorily, subsidy, and contact policy you get to the
common current. This is some start with idea. We are going great,
but it is more than that. This is where the macro-suit is in someway
dying to follow the EU was doing. We adopted not the FTA as the
US, but adopted the policy of the EU. We wanted at the end of the
whole process to have unified four country associations. We want
to have a deep integration between our four countries. This is what
at the 90s people micro-suit that needed micro-suited what really
thinking. It became true of course, I mean, probably didnt there
are many favour in the way, but at least in that moment this is what
people that need micro-suit were thinking.
Some people from Latin-America this is nothing new. This

is the member country member of micro-suit and something that
make the different is that in July this year in the submit of the
micro-suit Venezuela was accepted the member of micro-suit. The
submit was held in the month of July we follow as the same path
of EU. We have a rotation of the presidency the micro-suit every 6
months. Usually its done in the month of June and December.
This year was postponed to July for a very important issue that
really didnt come true. I mean, it was the worst soaked cup and
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some of the president of the micro-suit may be think of or having

to go to Berlin to be able to look at the finance, so but, if we fell
you know in Argentina they are so the postpone of this submit, it
doesnt make sense. But you know usually president they like to
have a photo with the witness. We postponed the micro-suit in the
month of July also we have 2 associating member; Trek and
Bolivia the FTA was signed in 1996 to1997 so in very short times
complete FTA between the micro-suit and FTA in Bolivia, they
associated member we have FTA. If we dont have what we called
custom union, which Trek and Bolivia this is an important
different. Trek has its own trade policy, has its own common tariff
same as Bolivia. They are not following the policy of the micro-
suit, so they are associated; they are no member of micro-suit.
The main economic in the case of micro-suit you can see

the population we are 50% of the ASEAN countries. This we have
its maybe also its GDP also big what I would said that this GDP is
a little bit devalue, I mean, if we tell this GDP according to
political power probably it would be higher. If we measure GDP of
the micro-suit according to the EU prices probably the GDP could
be 4 times what it said there. And what we are talking about to
measurement the GDP we had to remember that Brazil is very
large country. Brazil had 800 millions peoples and Argentina had
38 millions peoples and other two country Paraguay and Uruguay
have very roughly 5 minutes each one. And when we talked also
about GDP, Brazil has almost 60% of GDP of the micro-suit.
Argentina probably has 30-40%. And others two countries are
more participation. That made a different in the EU because there
you have more seminar countries and sometimes this had to find
the Caribbean in the decision be taking at the EU.
In the EU, everybody knows that at the beginning when

there were 6 countries, there was agreement between France and
Germany and knows others countries followed. When Italy starts
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to grow, so Italy also started to play important role. Later on of

course in the process because EU was six, nine, twelve, fifteen,
and twenty five. When UK also joined the EU later on I think in
1992.
So, you have seminar countries so they discussion

possibility of adoption decision is quiet easy, not quiet its easier
than sometimes in where you have so much, speaking one country
that is so big compare to other members of the region agreement.
If we look into the surface, micro-suit is 20 times larger than
Thailand. Its larger than the EU. This is made the different.
The agreement of the micro-suit, the micro-suit was born in

March 1991. We repeated assumption. This is of course now that
we go back. We said in 1992, but 1991, but something is
happening also in Latin-America in the 80s. Whats happening in
Latin-America in the 80s was that we are coming back to
democracy government. We are leaving behind the military
government. The time of military government at the end at the
beginning of this we were coming in the 80s to back up democratic
rule. And that helped a lot, I mean, the dialoged between the Brazil
and Argentina.
Once we have a democratic government in Argentina, and

we have democratic government in Brazil. Its possible to start
talking about corporation. When we had a military government in
both countries during sometimes we were always thinking a
possibility of having a war between Argentina and Brazil.
Argentina was building Atomic Bomb and Brazil was tried

to follow Argentina. That was raised of course its going to be the
first one having atomic bomb because military they have 2 reasons
to exist; one is the idea of having international conflict, so they
have to defend the country. There was you know Argentina was
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preparing to defend the country against the Brazil and against the
Chili and probably Brazil was doing the same to defend Argentina
rule and others countries. Because this is an essence to have a
military government and the others parts the military also took the
law of being to keep the tradition what we called the property and
the flag and all the value of the nations and this was the part of the
game of the cold war. So when it was an extinction of the cold war
in Latin-America, so when there was something happen at the back
yard of the US, I mean, here where they look around to be able to
take care the back yard to avoid any kind of problem that could
affect the Caribbean between the east and the west.
This is someway what the law of military in the 60s and

70s. In the 80s when we come back to democracy for Latin-
America, democracy is very important because our military
government were not successful, so for us the democracy has a
very strong value. Its possible for us to start talking between
Argentina and Brazil to give away I mean they have both decision
has a conflict between two countries, has a both decision that we
can work together. So we signed some agreement in 1995 in 1996
that we pay their way to the micro-suit. Some agreement of the
beginning of the corporation between different sectors, we were
thinking okay instead of trying to work together, we have many
problems to solve and instead of buying arm maybe it would be
better to have some investment in others issue. Two countries
started to have this idea that something could be done between
Brazil and Argentina. And that why we are coming after the
agreement in the 80s in 85-86, we are coming to this idea why not
to have integration in Latin-America.
Why dont integrate both countries. And when Argentina

and Brazil decided to go ahead, I mean, to go ahead with this
custom union, so other 2 countries joins the Argentina and Brazil
because they are neighbours they felt that not to be left out. This is
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the case of Paraguay and Uruguay. Thats why in this case also the
treaty of the micro-suit agreement is important not only on
economic terms, but its also important in political terms. We are
discouraged completely possibility of having the conflict between
Brazil, Argentina, and the others 2 countries. So we have us in the
EU that you know we move forward on economic and trade, but
behind there was political wheel of having different organisation in
Latin-America. This is an important issue that really that I value
very much. And the other one that also important is the democratic
compromise in the micro-suit.
We have an agreement of democratic rule in the micro-suit.

Any countries that break up the rule of having democratic
government is out of the micro-suit. I mean, that makes the
different, I mean, this is something probably coming from the EU
because the EU also have all the democratic government and the
EU put a lot of infancy in the need of having the constitution,
having a depending on democratic process. This is something in
the sense, so its not so well recognise yet the important of
democratic rule. In Latin-America you have democratic
government to you are out of the micro-suit.
For us this is important. Then we have in 1994, we have a

second agreement of the micro-suit having a common external
tariff. We are moving forward, we are moving to have a common
external tariff. We are moving forward, we are moving to a
common trade policy. And the other one of course you know when
you have integration among the difference countries you have the
spill. Someone had to solve them.
We were working at the beginning try to have an

agreement between the governments, but sometimes the
governments can not agree politically it is no principal for
government to agree what the other is saying even when we can
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say the other one is right, but in politically we can not say, so we
have to find some kind of legal system to find the solution when
we have the spill among the countries. And it was signed in the
year 2000 to have a permanent dispel settlement boldly in the
micro-suit to try to solve our problem. They can not solve all of
them, but at least this is trying. How we moved forward in
integration its not so easy, I mean, to among its import tariff. You
dont want to discuss tariff by tariff line by line because that was
going to be almost impossible and impossible to work. We Latin-
America try to do that before when we had in the 1950s the first
affirmed to have invaded Latin-America. Its felt because it was
discuss line by line. When you discuss line by line, of course you
have the pressure of every effected sector and that almost
impossible to have an agreement. So the government decided to
have an automatic reaction of tariff in most of import tariff. In the
second one we left out to sensitive sector, we left it out give it a
time to adopt the free trade. And in 1995 we adopted to common
external tariff.
We left out two sensitive sectors; sugar and automatic

sector I dont know is it a good idea, but it was left out because of
economic impregnation. I mean, those sector are not part of the
micro-suit, are not part of the free trade. Sugar because Brazil has
a very strong policy to promote the sugar especially in northern
part of the country, where is the worst poverty, so the government
decided to got the solution for the poverty in the north was to have
more issue plantation and push for the large expansion of the sugar
industry. And from the sugar industry you can get ethanol Brazil
posts the idea of the percentage of ethanol in the Gazprom, so the
car will be using 80% oil and 20% ethanol, so gave a big push, I
mean, to the production of sugar in Brazil. Thats almost
multiplies by 20 in 20 years.
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If were looking from now, were looking through the past.

We can said okay its a correct decision by the government of
Brazil. We are seeing the price of sugar. We are seeing the price of
oil. Its a good decision to be promoting the use of ethanol I said in
the car. We left it out because we have a history Argentina was
manufacturing car and Brazil also was the manufacturing car. And
we want to keep it I mean because of the employment resource,
there was no agreement had to work with this sector. And it still
the auto multi-sector is out of micro-suit. We have what we called
a unique trade between Argentina and Brazil.
We have a unique trade said you know you can export so

many Gazprom in Brazil and you can import many Gazprom in
Argentina. Its the way try to find the equilibrium in investment. I
mean, you know you have one factory in one country manufactory
one more there and the same company you have the factory in the
other country manufactory another more there. So they can change
the modern between the 2 countries among the 4 countries.
Its no free trade in these 2 sectors. Intergovernmental

institution the micro-suit didnt have a capacity and it was very big
mistake made by our leader didnt have capacity to have super
nationalist institution. This is something that the EU did in 1958
created the commission of the EU and there are some proofs and
there are some negative comments in this situation, but in the 19s
the whole idea of the government it take Bureaucracy was very
bad. In the 19s I mean we came with the idea that we were bad and
the government Bureaucracy usually is very bad and the
government should reduced expenses and the reused of number of
employee, so its very bad to give the idea super nationalist
institution more Bureaucracy. You know that micro-suit was going
a long with privilege idea of the 90s and decided no super
nationalist institution. We go for intergovernmental institution.
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One of the good things of super nationalist institution and

this is what happening in the EU is when you created Bureaucracy.
The Bureaucracy will find itself an existence. The EU Bureaucracy
works for integration because they make the money. If the process
of integration goes, continue going on, so they can not stop they
are coming with the news idea, so you have a motor in the EU
pushes for the integration. In the micro-suit we have some
problems.
We have some problems because when we get together

representing the government. When we are representing the
government, its very difficult to back up to say to other country
that you are right. Its more difficult to reach consent. If you have
ever presented your own country, its difficult to say to
Argentinean or to the Brazilian you are right I give you this.
Usually what we started with the negotiation I dont give

you anything, so this is the beginning of the negotiation. So to
reach consent took a very long time. The EU at least you have
Bureaucracy that you know creating the flag, creating the star and
the brochure and sometime with some good idea to pro in the
process of integration of the EU. This was happening when we
have a single market in 85, 92. Its an idea of Bureaucracy in the
embassy is not an idea come from nationalist state. The nationalist
state they were sleeping even when theyre talking about the EU
was felling. The EU Bureaucracy came out with the idea of
pushing farther for more integration.
In the micro-suit it takes times its to measure that

intergovernmental they have to get an agreement, they have to
convince the political sobriety this is necessary. So that was when
the micro-suit was not so event so the challenging and to move
forward and to create this super national institution. This is what
we have the common market council and minister of foreign affair
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and economy no minister the ministry of foreign affair and

economy.
You have a common market group and the executive boys

and the trade commission. Sometimes this idea of having this
intergovernmental institution is very helping the national
Bureaucracy because we travel a lot, so you know it has us in
someway to make up some political sanity when we travel. This is
also some positive aspect of having this intergovernmental
institution instead of having super nationalist institution, but the
nationalist got there to their working. The most important one is
the market group I mean with the executive which really executive
by the text of work being done to common market council to be
approve there. And this is the amount of trade foreign trade of the
micro-suit can see how the import is and export the total and, of
course, I mean, if we add up the four countries of the micro-suit
its probably the foreign trade the total foreign trade of the micro-
suit as much as foreign trade of Thailand. Its not large, its quiet
small and this has a reason why the micro-suit is not so into ready
in the world economy because the process of the development in
Latin-American countries and mostly in Argentina and Brazil is to
look into the domestic market. We didnt care so much for
expanding our export we were happy try to develop the domestic
market. This is a model of development different for the one
follow in Asia in the 80s. Asia put the effort entire to have more
export and import instead of developing the domestic market. So
Asia is having a different way; first the foreign sector and later on
the domestic market.
This is you know what they are starting to talk now in

China say okay they have already done I mean a lot on the foreign
sector we try to develop more domestic demand. Micro-suit has
another kind of development. The micro-suit was developing first,
I mean, the domestic market that why we were growing you know
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swiftly fine in the 50s, 60s, even in the 70s I mean in the 70s we
had all the crisis that really was the problem all for the most of the
Latin-America countries. So our foreign sector is not so much
developing capacity here in Asia.
This is introduction of the foreign trade in the micro-suit, a

export and import in 15 years to have 55% and if we see the inter
region of the last line you see that it grew up to the 81% of course
when you have a custom union or you have a FTA, the trade
among the member countries are going to grow faster than the
trade with other parties and it was a fight you know when the trade
between among the countries in the micro-suit started to grow. I
mean, faster than the trade with other parties. They were back the
IMF said oh this deviation of trade you cant do that you have to
dissolve micro-suit.
Its not very good, so because youre paying more

expensive. The goods are coming from the member countries, so
this was the big attack from the IMF and they were bang on the
micro-suit. But this is something natural if you move forward in
the FTA if you move forward in custom union this is what
happening of course the world bank didnt come against the US or
didnt with the EU because there are happen exactly the same.
They are having the trade among the member of any kind of region
we grew faster than the trade with other part of parties because
they are not import tariff, but the company started to move our out
because they find better prices and the other one, one of the idea of
process of integration is to express to the national company to have
a national company feeling more comfortable in dealing with
regional countries and once they are prepared probably they will
move to the international market. This was one of the goals of the
micro-suit, but what we have there is also growing trade between
the micro-suit and the other Latin-America countries.
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The consequences of this distribution is the EU and the US

lost some participation in the micro-suit really we have to go
deeper, I mean, to find out why it happens. One of the reasons is
known because the micro-suit closes the market to the EU and the
US. That was known the purpose. One of the main issues, the US
and the EU Company, they move into Asia because it was too
expensive, I mean, to produced in the US and the EU and they are
exporting now from Asia to micro-suit or to Latin-America. The
same company before were established in the US and in the EU.
They are any longer there.
Everybody knows the process of this transmutation of the

US and the EU because the profit to be manufacturing here triple
cost in Asia. Thats why Asia is growing in participation. This is
the merchant of China and South-East Asia and Korea so this is
probably some same company that before they were exporting the
US and the EU. The new member of the micro-suit the Venezuela
in July this year I mean the condition of having a Venezuela in the
micro-suit have not been decided yet. So now, I mean, theres a
political view we already Venezuela is in, but we have 180 days to
decided which are going to be the condition and of course it would
require quiet an effort I mean from Venezuela. Because Venezuela
we have to adopt a common external tariff of the micro-suit.
We will have the free trade agreement, so its going to be

free trade between Venezuela and the micro-suit. Of course
Venezuela we have sometimes the micro-suit had it through in
order to adapt to this condition and also while important we are
going to have the foreign trade policy. Were going to have a
common external tariff, so this is a so important issue. And other
one is that Venezuela we have to incorporate into the registration
all the rule of the micro-suit. The rule of micro-suit that are in the
non-tariff varies, I mean, the condition of tariff, the condition of
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product, so there are many rule where during this time micro-suit
had now evaporating Venezuela would had now to incorporate.
We have other agreement. We have the main FTA that

micro-suit has with Chile and Bolivia and mention before and also
with the member of Indian community, I mean, we have FTA with
Indian community, we have an agreement with fix with the South
Africa and the India. We are some agreement under the negotiation
with Israel and corporation consists of the gulf. And we are no way
we dont have we were negotiating with FTA with the US, the
famous FTWA and we were also negotiating FTA with the EU and
they collapsed.
We didnt have one of the two. Those negotiations are now

suspended. And now they are suspended waiting for conclusion of
the door around because the conclusion of the door around doesnt
seem near so we are assuming that we are not going to have a
negotiation with the US or with the EU in the short times. Lets me
tell you only why we dont have agreement with the US or the EU.
Its not because we are bad boy I mean we dont want to negotiate
with them. We are open to negotiation, but we have some
problems. We have some problem because micro-suit even when
we participation foreign trade is quiet small.
We have a larger participation in Agriculture products, I

mean, micro-suit is one of the main producers of beef sugar and
many more, so you name it. Because geographic of the land we are
the power of agriculture trade, so this is quiet important for us.
Those points our main export products usually and thats why, I
mean, Europe is always saying the micro-suit is where we get our
food to the EU you know getting the food from the micro-suit
country were taking the food to the EU were processing the food.
Later on they were selling the process food to the micro-suit. That
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was usually the trade between micro-suit and the EU. And thats
why we started to have some problem.
One of the reasons the main reason that we dont have the
agreement of the US, they are using 48 billion dollars, that can be
use for the succinct for Agriculture product, only 21 billions
dollars, so they are using less than they allow according to you the
way around agreement. When you discuss with US or the FTA,
they said we cannot discuss domestic policy with you, we only
discuss import tariff.
SO you know you sat down with the US and you said look
we have a problem we want you not to have and were going to
have an FTA. We dont want unfair conditions. The micro-suit is
no subsidise agriculture and we cannot open our market to you
with your subsidize product. It usually the FTA would said this is
something we cannot discuss because its up to the congress you
know we cant talk about that. And we cannot discuss the subsidy,
we cannot discuss subsidy with the EU. So we are left out,
sometimes the negotiated in the micro-suit is very difficult to say
we sit with the US, we give everything what they wants to and
when we ask they say they cant because the congress will not
approve it you know its very difficult to go into some negotiation
with the US and the EU, so they are more the same way of
negotiating with developing countries. They never have the FTA
between the US and the EU or with Japan and China. They are
always never negotiating with developed country.
For some reason the developing countries are not so resist

of the idea of having agreement. They are use to negotiate with the
smaller countries. They are not negotiated among them because
when they have verity of forces I assume that discussions are to be
very tough. They are not easy. Look into what happen with the EU
why the collapse and also the negotiation. The EU has 115 million
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dollar of subsidy in the domestic support allowed, there is used in

the institute. So when you discussed with the EU, its all we kind
of do anything there, because I was the member of state will not
allow to reduce the subsidy or to have the agreement with the
micro-suite or subsidy when we are talking when we are
negotiating. So we cant do anything about that, so you know, its
very tough.
And the EU, on the other hand, is also what I was told you
before. The EU has negotiated back with the African countries and
Eastern European countries, but they never negotiate an agreement
with the big countries. I mean, and they say all the domestic
support cannot be discussed with the micro-suit. The domestic
support focus can only be discussed with the US. And so we are
stopped coming because they want us to be opened our market on
industrial products, or services in the export.
But what we are exporting that we care agriculture product.

There we dont get anything, so in the negotiations, there are the
stocks so we dont see any the assumption on the negotiations in
the near future. We also offer the EU and the US limited the
agreement but they said no, we have to be unoverall agreement
over what we understand as overall the screwing is important
issue. So this is in someway in overview of the micro-suit, when
we stand with the negotiation with other countries. Thats all I
have to say.
It is not probably a question, but it is just a comment. First

of all I have to give thank for his excellent overview. I dont think
the micro-suit have the better spoken person. I also was taking my
note here and Im sure Im be use Im be spying on your thought
in micro-suit. I think that is very important that you highlighted the
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whole micro-suit started with the political view. From our side of
the border I remember Brazil use to concentrate tube on the south
because Argentina. And it was really a big change in Brazil when
we started thinking of real working together with Argentina.
We have a strong partnership and know this for reason, and

Brazil is a known permanent member of the UN. Argentina has a
diplomatic there you know denigration. Argentina started as
member of the Security Council and Brazil has a diplomatic. I
think we hire all this have been the chief of the micro-suit,
awareness that was actually very silly to have 2 large countries.
There was a long bother between them not working together.
And other important point it was raise is that uneven

because the economy have different sizes. It has been realise lately
that concession have to be made to the smallest economy; mostly
Uruguay and Paraguay.
Argentina was going to attack Chile in 1978. And

Argentina military has decided to go to war with Chile because
there was some border dispute and there was a military things
military government in Chile and military government in
Argentina so they the military are always find something to do.
And they decided to declare the war into Chile. The war was
suspended to our before starting to ours the war was going to start
at 2 a.m. and 12 p.m. because there was the integration of the
Pope. Theyre asking for peace and theyre starting the
negotiation. The order of the war cancels at 12 p.m. and now we
have a very close relationship with the Chile to democratic
government. And there is no any more border conflict between the
2 countries and we are looking its very strong part.
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Of course we have trade problem. But its very strong

punishing, so the idea of having democratic arm is very important
if you want to be the best.
The ambassador of Chile:
I could that be more with him on February the third in

Argentina and I mean in more the problems have been passed for
15 years ago, so nowadays may be almost have nothing. So, if we
want to make it right, that everything has been solve and we have
3000 km. from tears so we do have today they purpose here, but
they always fall. We have a very strong relationship and the Chile
is also save the border of the micro-suit.
We are not full member only this is something I want to

make it very clear only because we have very low foreign trade
barrier, foreign tariff, so for us to join the custom union is mean to
lift tariff, our tariff which will very complicated consequence also
for our economy. But the political decision is there. The micro-suit
should be reducing their tariff in times, so the times will come we
will commerce things of tariff as well and on that moment Chile
will be come the full part of the micro-suit as political will is there.
We participated in any micro-suit integration except trade

policy once, so the will is there the trade has no method. We are
though had a different approach to trade the policy. And Philipe
explained that Latin-America countries used to have an inward
somehow domestic market push the economic policy.
That was changing Chile that is 70s actually we started to

think export living economy well so that moved toward quite a lot.
So there is no real way we could go back into that and now we
have free trade with many countries Asia, Europe America. So
there are no ways that we can change that. And the community we
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have that remains with most American countries, so I mean I just

want to give a full picture of this and its not a part of the micro-
suit.
I just want to make sure remark; this is one of the process

of integration in Latin-America I dont know if you made that
remarks later before because Im a little bit late. There is an Indian
community also as ambassador of Chile came recently to the
process of Indian, a process where Chile was the founder in the
17s. Founded from national member is coming back, so they are
more less parallel process. The Indian regions are a little closer,
looking more specific.
I will call the other ones the Atlantic process and with land
low country like Bolivia which is a lot of necessity and it can see
one of the backward in economic term in Latin-America. There is
also approach some countries like Chile who is also an associated
member of micro-suit and this had been very positive to us
because the treat value had been increase very importantly
important fever on the trade. We think micro-suit is very strong
with very important countries; the 2 or 3 most important countries
on the region in Latin-America are a whole which are the leader of
these countries and I think the future is there. Its the matter of
continues the goods policy that we are apply in most of the
countries in Latin-America now to gain high fever in export and of
course grow you know our economy.
My idea is to give the review of micro-suit in the process

of integration of Latin-America. It was measure that the Indian
community play important role in the 16s and its continued to be
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an important role in integration and there are also centre America

market. I mean, the market of centre America, the centre American
countries they have their own common market and the Caribbean,
they also have their own common market. Its so they are different
group. There are also 3; the Peninsula, Columbia and Mexico try
to have FTA. This is different way of looking what in the micro-
suit, we understand this day the behind of the idea of the common
market. No ideas working with FTA. Its the need of pay them
way to have supranational institution, to have and organisation of
the common external of foreign trade, common external of policy
and probably getting some point that we far away still in micro-
coordination policy, so there are differences experiences that we
are going through in Latin-America.
Something of the ambassador of Chile rise I mean its very

important is that in the micro-suit we have a common external
type, a common external tariff and the trade foreign policy. Trek
has very low import tariff because the structure of the economy of
Chile was different from the micro-suit. 50% of GPS export
probably copper or product related to copper.
In the case of micro-suit because of the weather condition

because of the geography condition because of the land. We are
good in sub-tropical products. Those are the same products of the
EU and the US are using. We are competitor of them. We were
always being competitor of the US, we became competitor of the
EU, and the EU decided to have common agriculture policy in the
60s. The EU farmer is only 2 percent of the labor in the EU, the
EU decided to give 120 or 65 millions dollars to the farmer, so
they can change the Benz every year. This is a political decision be
taking, so that why the micro-suit is the competitor to the EU and
the US .This is not the case of Chile. This is not the case of big
war., so they are not complete with the US and the EU that why
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for them, its easier to have a closer economical trade with the US
and the EU than for us. For us were not got anything from them.
First question, I think as were talking about economic

aspect. I wonder to what essence has the micro-suit impacted on
the domestic economy of the member in term of how does in shape
the economic path industrialisation something like perhaps that are
move in the knowledge economy service sector become more and
more important and interesting how does the micro-suit relate to
this.
The next question, again, focusing on the internal aspect

would be when were talking about the EU and its relation of the
member state sometimes peoples talking about democratic deficits
of the EU. Do you have something what is the simulation along the
same line in the member countries of the micro-suit? Do people
get exciting about the countries coming together this kind of
things? This is how the questions end. Just to help us understand
the picture a bit better.
And the next question, we are looking out from the micro-
suit, you didnt mention much about the role of the big neighbour
in the north to what essence has the US for instance be involved
this kind of integration process. Then lastly what do you what the
lesson that micro-suit had been would be interesting for us in Asia
in ASEAN to take from your experiences.
Lets me talk about the micro-suit had been very good

experience for the member countries and it had been a very good
experience because I have explain before once is political aspect.
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I mean, this is quiet important. We said trade we go back to

trade to the process of trade, but political aspect is to have the
countries cooperating and having eliminating the idea of having a
conflict with the member countries. This is very important it gave
you another way of working. Imagine here in the ASEAN
countries to having idea of there is no more its never going to be
conflict between the members of the ASEAN, so the vision of
building up, the visional grouping is quiet important for political
aspect.
On economic reason yes it had been important. Our

company the enterprising the micro-suit was getting experience
when they are thinking now they are thinking of only 1 market.
They are thinking of the market of 203 family and million people,
so they are stronger, they are investing more, they are thinking
about the whole market not only the domestic market. I mean, that
was close to Argentina. Our company prepared to for market for 3
million people there were no way that the competition will be
competitive. Now in the 70s they knew that they have to
competitive with Brazil Paraguay and Uruguay, so this is different
way of looking to the international market. It is the part of
international market, at the moment of micro-suit was created, they
was okay were go to open up the international market where we
can move step by step. It was a region looking to have more open
economic international market. Services this is another aspect.
There is agreement between among of the member the micro-suit
to realise the service sector. This is been push by the 4 member
countries because we see the big potential and not so big potential,
but the way of training our technician company in the service and
the service sector. The service sector the sector more dynamic now
in the world economy as its call.
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The EU has some of the NGOs that at the commission of

the EU are not so democratic. And some of decision is being out of
the people. That is long discussion if you really want to get
involved with that. They are many opinions on developed the
NGOs and in the micro-suit we are trying to have some
participation of the similar society we have to folder of business
man and we have a folder of the labor union also participating in
trying to have some kind of agreement also to keep their opinion.
Labor union association of entrepreneur be present also all the
meeting in being taken. And the other question I mean with the
US, they deal with the FTA I deal of having the whole American
continent.
Free Trade Area was born in 1994 in the summit of Miami

when the Clinton was the president. At that moment its a very
romantic idea you know the reason was flowing the investment
was flowing from developed countries into developing country.
The NAFTA has push into force, so everythings going willingly
in the economy, so it came up with the idea of FTA. But the
problem is that you sat down and negotiated among 34 different
countries. Its very tough, I mean, its very difficult when all the
34 countries which have different molds and they are not equally
prepare and tariff line are different and the economy are not the
same.
Thats why we are in 1984 really didnt make any progress

the year 2000 almost 2003, and when they was a moment to put
the offer on the table that wheres the problem started and the also
the romanticist in the 19s in the 2000 were already begun there
was another idea. It was not so easy what we saw in the 19s that
you know we open our economy and everyone grow and
everybody is happy, I mean, Chile grows. This idea in the 19s has
gone after the financial crisis in 1997 in Asia and in 1998 in Brazil
and 2002 in Argentina and Mexico are having problem, so it is not
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so good idea you know everything works because you open your
economy and that makes the position is harder because everybody
try to push for obtaining concision from the other party.
Its not so easy just to give. I give you every thing; it

doesnt matter because I open my economy by the end I would be
better off. Thats the whole idea, so the year 2000 we start with the
idea again. The state has aboard to play some sector need more
time to be more competitive, so it is not easy to open up its just
because you open up, you grows I mean there are what different
you know we are call in Latin-America, the consents of the potions
I mean 10 recommendations that we applied in different ways in
the world and theres make the negotiation harder, so we
understood in the micro-suit because our economic structure,
because of our goal. We wanted to negotiate just we want to go
back with something to offer to say ok I sat down with the US I
give this and I obtain this. But I have to show we have to show
what we get from the US and this is something difficult because
usually the US gave very little because it cant do anything
because of the congress does not allow them when we negotiate it
too deep you know thats where we stand in the negotiation with
integration with the US.
You know the ASEAN I really dont so much about the

ASEAN countries. It seem that its the post of integration seem to
this is what I read this is the post of integration and this is moving
forward. The ASEAN has giving them more time to get integrated
I mean than the micro-suit. The process that starting in the 1992
and its going adopt in 2019, so it is very long time. And what
ASEAN has done is to isolate some of the sectors that are
conflicts. Some of the Agriculture sector where you have failed, so
you said this sector we do not talking about. So you put it out and
you are moving forward faster in that field sector. Thats where
you have more interest because of the strong investment of
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multinational complex, but this is very little done on Agriculture

sector so its to be sometime more than nice to complete the
Agriculture sector to be able to complete with other countries of
the ASEAN. This is also something that its a way because of
policy of some countries to keep their agriculture sector closed that
you know we have some difficulty to dialoged between the micro-
suit and ASEAN countries because the micro-suit again I mean the
micro-suit has a characteristic of being strong in the agriculture
production, so our agriculture have different structure, so to have
some trade with ASEAN is not so easy.
My question concern the democratic compromised in

MERCOSUR. I remember reading that certain countries in Latin-
America pity much took over the oil business, the foreign oil
company and I would like to find out your opinion if you can
answer about the respond from the micro-suit. How can they
respond to that and how did they reach the decision whether this is
an undemocratic act or not?
I am assuming you refer to Bolivia. The new democratic

government of Bolivia has this nationalize all production. The
democratic government of Bolivia was elected and was having a
maturity. The law has been proved by the congress of Bolivia to
nationalise the research, so I dont see this is the legal decision
taking by Bolivia. I dont see this is undemocratic because its
coming from an elected government.
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Question form Participant:
With Ambassador I dont need to repeat the complement

for me readymade for my informative lecture. I go straight to my
question. I was sometimes in Bulgaria in the eastern-European. I
follow how some of the countries that part of Europe met many
efforts to join the European Union. Some of them we are accepted,
some we are not yet accepted at the times because they did not
miss some conditionality. On the other hand, there are some
countries that EU would like to accept as soon as possible like
Norway, Switzerland. Those countries are not really can except
now to join the Union. The micro-suit you have 4 countries and 2
associated member; Chile and Bolivia. Its true that is a young
union about 15 years. I wonder why many other countries around
like Columbia, Mexico and even southern-American countries like
Panama, Argentina had not join the union is its because from their
own part or because the part of the union may be there is some
conditionality . They are not here about to meet.
Thats difficult one. We have microsuite because every

country has different economy. And different economy interested
so you have to look which are your interest where you look to your
future. Its not the same the Columbia economy that the economy
of the countries of the micro-suit it isnt the same of the economy
than the economy of micro-suit of Panama.
The micro-suit was founded according to the economic

structure of the micro-suit countries. We have some similarity
there. I mean if you find motorist we have very strong agriculture
production in the 4 countries. Its very large. Its very competitive
similarity to the US system of production in agriculture sector. We
dont have us here in ASEAN the million of small farm risers. We
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have huge farm may be warm farming in Argentina will be as big

as Thailand. The agreement there was done according to
agriculture sector of the micro-suit. The EU is the same.
The EU was done on the basic of the economic structure of

the EU at that moment of the foundation, I mean, when they were
6 countries otherwise they were prepared the operating the
common agriculture policy and later I mean the industrial policy
and so on. And they were having you are having a foundation and
on top of that you are creating the rule of the micro-suit Panama is
very open economy. Panama is a complete; I mean, Panama is a
free port I some way. It was very open economy. Micro-suit is not
an open economy. Micro-suit has import tariff.
Why Panama would join the micro-suit in order to have the

common external tariff of the micro-suit. Its impossible they are
the study of the micro-suit is our own 20%. Panama has import
tariff which is huge. If you applied the import tariff of the micro-
suit, Panama because of the meaning of protection the aboard
import tariff have any interest. Panama preferred to have an open
economy and to be dealing to the service sector instead of having
industrial production because the production, I mean, so asked the
micro-suit what to have. We have different used and when you
have different use its difficult for you to join another integration
process. This is the case of Norway. I mean, in Europe they were 2
groups; the European community and the EFTA. Some of the
EFTA joins the European Union. Some of the other member of the
EFTA decided not to join the EU to be out. And we are seeing a
history that when it has to be 6 and it went to 9 12 15 25 and long
at least something positive should be there I mean you know its
no reason why the only countrys knocking on the door try to be
in. Some countries are very strong. They said you know we are
happy the way we are and I supported another way I was very
happy with the entire price, so why, I mean, do we share with
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some of other member countries if they can continue living with

that money.
I have 2 questions; the first one is regarding you mention

the democratic rule and my question is you mention that for
member countries who doesnt have the democratic rule be expel
from the micro-suit.
My question is in the case of Thailand at the moment. If we

were the member of the micro-suit, and a political hick up like this
would be expelling one and if that the case we will have a chance
of readmitted micro-suite a common market like this?
The second question is regarding the common market

among the four countries what are the impact of micro-suite on
smaller countries like Paraguay, Uruguay because apparently
Argentina and Brazil have much larger market and properly much
higher competitiveness compare to smaller countries. So thisd any
domination of big corporation in the two countries to bigger
countries on smaller countries in Paraguay and Uruguay. Thank
you very much.
I will refer to what the ambassador of Chilly was saying

outside, I mean, an example of the problem of the data, so I dont
want to make any references to whats happening here in Thailand.
And some time a goal was a group data against

Venezuelas government in the year of 2002 probably. A choice of
government was elected with the majority. There was a group of
people academy chance to interact to the people of the city middle
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class that they were feeling that they were not the representative by
charity.
I mean, that the people of charity for the poor people of the
country style. They were poor people and a charity was developing
properly policy wielded vote so how the middle class was going to
accept you know that their vote was going to be one to one
comparing to a farmer in the lose of the jungle of Venezuela. So
they say to this enlighten to the people decided to carry out the
group of data again. The government of Venezuela likes this and
the micro-suite has a very strong statement against the group of
data. That was the decision.
So the decision was that you know we are supporting the

democratic government because this is far to the history of Latin
American and I mean every division has a difference history. And
in our case to gain the democracy and having the institution is
quite important. Thats why the moment of Venezuela micro-suit
has a very strong position against the corp. The second question
one yes its true in micro-suit you also turning on complain of this
small countries from Uruguay and Paraguay. They complain
usually that the Brazil or Argentina is the one of profiting more in
the micro-suit. This is a problem. This is a problem probably is the
problem for the developing countries. Its more than economy.
Developing countries always dont have enough resources

and this is not the case of the EU. The EU has a lot of resources.
But this is a very strong and very important point of the EU. There
you have big countries that they took a decision to move ahead or
agreesional basic. They were ready to give money to this more
economy. You dont find that in many part of the world. This is
very positive aspect of the EU. The EU has a social policy try to
implement policy in order to raise the standard of living in every
country to average. So Germany and France they were really
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putting money to help the economy of Greece, Italy, Spain. At that

moment the front for the economic were enormous, many given
from France and Germany to the other one.
You dont get to see that from other part of the world.
When you come to the ASEAN when you come to the micro-suit,
the Indian community, you know usually the government had so
many problems to take care the situation of their own country that
they dont look after whats going on with the poorer countries in
the region because everybody was poor, I mean, everybodys
having problem. I mean, Brazils quiet developing countries, but
there are many region in Brazil you know they also having a
problem and the government of Brazil is not ready to give the
money to Paraguay. I mean, they preferred to go to the region
where they have problem and put it there, so this is one of the short
coming of the FTA, custom union in developing countries. And
the discussion in the micro-suit now a day we have to do more to
open our, to have more coordination and to have more flexibility
with smaller countries like Uruguay and Paraguay. Just want to
add the side itself in the EU doesnt in coordinate with the
problem. Because the top per capital in compress in the EU is
Luxemburg. And for small countries like they have done very well
like Ireland and others I think the structure of fund that
ambassador mention is very important instrument for immigration
also. This is something that we outside the EU can look at and
think whether we can try to go somewhere to do this also.
My name is Kitti Prasirtsuk, from Thammasat University,

Faculty of Political Science. I have 2 questions one is specific and
other one is more general.
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The specific question on slide number 8, you mentioned

about common market group executive body, I just wonder who
they are. Are they high range government official of minister or
anything? Because it seems to be on top of that you have common
market councils featuring ministry of minister foreign affair
economy then you have an executive body then you have trade
commission like a senior official I just wonder who consisted of
the group of the executive body in the common market group that
is the first question.
My second question it seems to be that the compromise

between Argentina and Brazil seems to play an important role in
MERCOSUR integration quiet similar to the compromise between
France and Germany in the EU. But looking in South-East Asia
now, we have to big power; Japan and China, but they are not in
good term with each other and they are competitive in many aspect
many flora particularly their economic. Although Chinas behind
Japan, but they try to compete with Japan head to head in many
industries; for example, electronic industry and so may be later on
automobile. I just wonder how you foresee the future of South-
East Asia community considering the conflict between China and
Japan and also in the case of Argentina and Brazil. I wonder if
there is some conflict as well as in term of an economic structure,
in term of competitive, economic structure in competitive MNCs
in worst countries. Even in agricultural sector; for example,
agricultural Argentina Farm want to sell more to Brazil or vice
versa or something like that.
You have the council, common market council. There are

by the minister of economy and minister of foreign affair once
they are the one who we approve everything with the common
market group. The common market group could be anybody this
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that the country we sell this is the one representing me, so they
name one officer that could be wise minister. They could be the
special delicate that would be taking care of affair of the
negotiation, so in the case of Argentina is a wise minister of the
foreign affair who is the secretary of the micro-suit. In the case of
Brazil. I mean. I left Argentina a couple months ago somebody
names especially for that position and it doesnt have to be
somebody from one ministry, it could be name by the government.
This is my man in this common market groups, so its be

name by the government. On the other one, I mean, what I
understood is that the problems of China and Japan, they are going
back history. They are discussing history. They are discussing the
Japanese are invading or defending China or what they were
doing.
They are not discussing economic because the development

of China started with Japanese company investing in China heavy.
One of the development of China because Japan is co-operating
with the development, I mean, the first when China open up the
economy its in the beginning of the 18s when was the famous tip
of prime minister of China to Japan said okay I want to learn from
the Japanese I invited the sushi to come to invest in the China, so
there was always the corporation and all of the sudden Japan
started to reopen the chapter of reviewing the history and remaking
the history book, so this is play with the past I dont what is the
benefit of that. They should have political reason to probably to
win the election, but you know reviewing to the past when you
have so many things to do for the future really doesnt make so
much sense. And yes we have a problem with the Brazil on the
competitions sometimes, so they are 2 sectors that we didnt open
up or we fail in military politic trade. We are discussing way too
deep in our corporation on try to have more equilibrium in
investment.
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Why we have this entire problem. These problems have we

are not moving as fast as should had move in the organisation of
the rule because when you have a custom union you need to
organise your interest rules, your substitutes rule, your region
rules. You know interest including sometimes your export policy,
import policy, I mean, you have to have this organisation of rules
because if not they play in role in competitiveness of the company.
I mean when you have an interest rate in Brazil that is 5%. This is
an example. In Argentina they have a companys playing 9%. You
have 4% of difference endanger, right that really have one
competitive one company against the other one.
So it has come at the point you have to compromise and the

micro-suit is moving slowly because we are moving slowly
because we suffered international financial crisis and that delay the
possibility of coordinating of our economy. The problem of
international market, international financial market has cause delay
of the micro-suit. We went through the financial crisis. And in the
year 2002 in Argentina the economy crisis was so deep and they
were nobody talking about micro-suit. Everyone was talking about
leaving micro-suit because of economic crisis was so bad. So when
you are affected in that time. Its really quiet hard. On the other
hand we could say that because we moved slowly and we didnt
move so fast. That we every country suffer the economic crisis
separately probably if we were together, the result would have
been different.
I mean, if the ASEAN economic crisis affect Thailand so

much in the 1997. If Thailand would have a kind of support at that
moment of the Indonesia or lets say Indonesia also have the
financial crisis, so everybody was having the financial crisis, so
the Union was making possible to be stronger everybody usually
position place the role because they dont looking to the future.
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Thats why makes sometimes the different to have the leader

statement, in the statement ship I mean somebody could be
thinking self in the short term could be thing in the future. Thats
Euro path in the 15s. And you know they are so not many in the
world.
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EU-ASEAN
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ASEANs Viewpoints,
Perceptions and Policy
toward the EU
Dr. Jingjai Hanchanlash
Chairman of French-Thai Business Council
Dr.Charit Tingsabadh:
It is good to hear from European Union: how they feel

about it. In addition, the idea of regional integration is also
something that others can take a look at, study, and see what it is
for them. ASEAN is the grouping of the countries which has come
together to form this association. It should be good reason to think
that ASEAN could learn a few things from the experience of
European Union. For this reason, we decide to set a lecture series
which includes not only member of European Union but also
ASEAN and other countries like Argentina which express the
Latin America integrations experience.
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Dr.Jingjai Hanchanlash:
Good morning, Excellencies. I really appreciate to be a

guest in the surrounding Chulalongkorn University. Actually, I
have prepared for an elaborated presentation. But when I walked in
and saw EU ambassadors, I changed my mind because I fell that
my knowledge on EU is far less than many of those sitting here. I,
therefore, will try instead to introduce some issues and invite some
of you to participate in the discussion.
I went to France with Deputy Prime Minister Dr.Somkid to

participate in the celebration of 320 years of Thai-French relations.
There were a lot of questions on how to promote Thailand to
European Union. Political stability was an important issue since
there were a lot of rumors about the coup. Dr.Narongchai who was
also in the delegation assured that Thailand does not have any
problem regarding political stability. Since I was the only
Francophone Thai delegate I explained at length that the coup is no
longer relevant in Thailand and we have firmly established the
democratic government in Thailand. Unfortunately a few hours
later all of us learnt about the September 19th coup! I was quite
embarrassed and feel like resigning from the position of Co-
Chairman of French-Thai Business Council.
However, I could later explain to my French businessmen

that we may have coup and change of government from time to
time but we always have political stability. For 60 years, we have
the same head of state in comparison to the private sector it is like
you have the same chairman of a corporation for 60 years. You
have to distinguish between the Head of State and the Head of
Government. In Thailand the former stays as long as he lives but
the latter comes and goes. I also told them that you have to look
beyond what you see and tell me which country in the region has
the most experience in open economy.
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I emphasised that Thailand has embraced the principle of

market economy since the era of Khunramkamhaeng, the King.
There is the concept carved in the stone inscription that If you
want to sell elephant, sells it.
The Free Trade happened in Sukhothai era, around C13,

and it still exists now. In 1932, there was Political change. We had
new Prime Ministers starting from Gen. Piboonsongkram,
Gen.Sarit, Gen.Thanom and so on. This is political evolution up
and down but economic policy is stable, always in the same
direction. With our major parties, look at their economic policy,
there is no difference. They all follow liberal market. So I think
those factors need to be studied.
Well, we come back to our topic today. I am not going to

get in details on the structure of ASEAN and EU. I prepared the
background sheets for all of you because I dont want to waste
time. Let me make my presentation in three parts.
First, I would like to point out the similarities between EU

and ASEAN. After that I would like to point out the differences.
Then I would like to conclude with how we perceive each other. I
would like to make clear that I certainly cannot claim to represent
ASEANs view nor EUs view. But it is going to be my
interpretation of their views based on my experience, my
interaction with both groups. Certainly for EU, it would be the
French side because I educated in France and worked closely with
French businessmen to promote trade and investment between
Thailand and France. For ASEANs side; perhaps, I have a better
wider view and can elaborate in depth because I got involved with
major ASEAN strategy. I actively participated in debate over
AFTA. I also help promote the relationship between Thai Chamber
of Commerce and ASEAN CCI (Chamber of Commerce and
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Industry). I also used to work with ASEAN secretary in Jakarta,

Indonesia.
Lets start with the similarities between ASEAN and EU.

First, they are both regional economic grouping and gradually
expanding its membership. The second factor is the geographical
proximity. Third is economic focus within the globalisation
process. Dr.Chai-anan stated that Globalisation begins with
trading. In my view, whether the globalisation is good or bad, it
depends on how you adapt it. If you use it positively, you will get
a good thing back. Both ASEAN and EU engage in globalisation
for their benefits. Globalisation is the instrument they are using for
regional integration. Fourth factor of similarity is the concept of
market economy. It needs to have Comparative Advantage.
ASEAN and EU hope to create Comparative Advantage by joining
force. These are major similarities. Apart from similarities, there
are also differences. I would like to point out 4 major differences.
First, the origin of ASEAN and EU is entirely different,

Origin of ASEAN resulted from the expansion of ASA which
established by the fear of communist. ASEAN was founded in
1969 by treaty of Amenity, during Vietnam War. Its first objective
was purely politics. Then it changed to economic integration in
80s. Lets say that ASEAN was formed by political issue and now
become to economic issue. And it works because you have 2
groups for politics but for economics, you have only one group.
The EU on the other hand was founded by Treaty of Rome

which was purely economic. The conflicts in Europe came from
coal and steel. They formed the grouping of 6 countries. I went to
France in 1959 to study; I saw promotion of Treaty of Rome and
have to opportunity to attend the lecture by Jean Monnet one of the
UR fathers. . The message was very clear about economic purpose.
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The second is the structure. EU has much better structure

than ASEAN; I used to collaborate with ASEAN secretariat at
Jakarta. It is not as sophisticated as EU Head office in neither
Brussels nor EU parliament.
The third is the progress of integration. ASEAN has

gradually made implemented AFTA while but EU has already
reached custom union and Free Trade Area stage.
Forth, ASEAN has sub-ASEAN grouping, not like EU.

Look at GMS or ACMEC. These are all ASEAN-sub regional
countries. GMS was founded in 1992 by ADB or Asian
Development Bank so it has a strong financial and technical
support. There are various working group such as GMS Business
Forum which was set up 5 years ago. ADB was the main
supporter. It even pays the secretariat in Vientiane to assist the
private sector to work together under GMS-BF framework.
I can claim that I personally lobbied for the setting up of

GMS-BF secretariat in Vientiane. There are also ministerial
conference annually reviewing the progress of GMS and make
policy recommendations. There was the 1st summit in Phnom
Penh, 2nd in Dali, Yunnan and next one will be in Vientiane in
2008.
Why dose GMS interest Japan and now China? It is

because of the resources and strategic location. Now they have
paved roads from Suwannakhet to Danang. On the 20th of
December, the second bridge over Mekong River from Mukdaharn
to Suwannakhet will be opened.
The Board of Trade of Thailand will organise a joined trip

with Japanese Chamber to take the trade delegation from
Suwannakhet to Danang from 21st to 23rd December and will
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celebrate the opening of the second bridge. That bridge was built
with loan from JBIC. Hopefully, in 2007, the western part of east-
west economic corridor will be completed. It will link Mae Sod to
Maulamyin then you will have a complete 1400 km corridor
linking Indian Ocean with Pacific Ocean. You will see how
important of the trading route of sub-ASEAN grouping which may
or may not jeopardise the future of ASEAN. I hope not.
Now come to the last part of my presentation. I think we in

ASEAN lack the knowledge of EU We used to deal with them on a
bilateral basis. We promote bilateral cultural co-operation. We
have British Council, Alliance Franoise and so on. There are
cultural festivals which are identified by each country. However,
there is lack of political dimension of EU. Few people talk about
EU constitution. We do not quite understand why the EU draft
constitution prepared by the committee headed by former French
president was turned down in France. I think there is a bit of
confusion. We have the impression that some of people in France
still dont know where to draw the line between Europe des
Nations et and Europe des Parties.
For EU, when we talk about culture and religion in

ASEAN, they look at Far-East. But there are not only relations
with China or Japan but also with Thailand. Europeans coming to
Thailand in C13 was Constantine Falcon. This was bilateral
relationship. In South-East Asia, the relation with Europe was in
terms of divide and rule. Now in my view, the progress of
globalisation merges the relations of all countries. In Thailand, we
deal with Airbus, Vodafone and so on. This is no doubt that the
world is moving that way. If ASEAN wants to strengthen its own
mandate to be beneficial to members, we have to strengthen
ASEAN link to EU.
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Why do you think that EU starts with purely economic

factor? Why dont you appreciate also political factor? What do
you emphasise on ASEAN co-operation?
Perhaps, I didnt elaborate enough. When I talked about

Treaty of Rome, the main purpose is economy. But you cannot
achieve regional grouping without political will. The different is
that Treaty of Rome is inside-out. The entry point is economy. But
ASEAN is outside-in. There are also players from outside. And the
entry point id more political: containment of communist which is
different from EU that was backed up by NATO.
However, ASEAN emphasise gradually on economy, on

the other hand, EU emphasise gradually on Politics because of the
initiative of EU constitution.
Why do you think collective decision making which is very

important for grouping doesnt exist in ASEAN? If common Asian
currency happens in the future, which level will slightly happen?
Thats because raison detre does not exist in ASEAN. The

supranational level is still debating in ASEAN and EU shown by
EU constitution. For ASEAN, there is no sophisticated structure,
so it is quite hard for common Asian currency. Anyway, they
already have one step to common Asian currency: Asian Bond.
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Concerning the culture and historical difference in EU,

what would you explain in the perspective of EUs evaluation?
What will happen with the trend of regional grouping?
My simple answer is that the globalisation process really

encourages regional grouping because of economies of scales.
Certainly, there is principle of small is beautiful. to take into
consideration as well. In certain area, we cannot avoid to look at
the economies of scale which has impact on grouping, not only in
government sector but also in private sector. Its because of
globalisation. For the cultural factor of sub region, we have to date
back to C18-19th. Thats not the way to go.
As a diplomat, I would argue that I am looking for what we

have in common. And there are quite many things that we have in
common to understand the benefits that we have in common. Your
opinion of integration of ASEAN is different. It was started out as
political project. But I think we talk about economic integration.
You could argue the same in ASEAN suffered from WWII. But I
think it needs to integrate in economic term which is not the same
way in Europe. In South-East Asia, I could argue that if you look
historically South-East Asia missed something.
When you talked about the inside-out, this was right because of
economic co-operation. Now you could argue the different views
of situation of Cold War and history. Europe is more homogenous.
There were inter-cross in marriage among the European monarchy
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and academy. South-East Asia follows the same ways as Europe

and I hope that it will achieve the economic integration.
On the other hand, the evolution is also reaction to

globalisation. I would disagree with you that this is death end of
political development. But civil society is important. We all have
more than one identity. Thats why we have more than one
regional integration. We have different religion, feeling of
belonging, homelands and so on because many people in Europe
live in high quality provided by their government. So I think this is
the logic that integrates Europe in order to expand happiness,
sufficiency and so on. This balance of federal level and local level
have to be redefined political, economic and social level.
What you said about constitution, this constitution was an

attempt to solidify the institution and to refine, to make the
institution of Europe more effective. And it doesnt matter if we
have 15 or 25 members. The second motive is to explain how EU
works. It was total failure even though the first time in European
history, we tried to pave such constitution. So the constitution is
not the failure. But the failure lies in having lots of interests of the
public. I can assure you this is only a step toward a paper dialogue
with civil society to succeed in next time. I am also interested in
hearing that EU feels that GMS may be more important than
ASEAN. I could agree. What would you think that GMS could not
possibly replace ASEAN as prime interlocutor to EU?
I agree with you that the process itself is not clear. Well, I
didnt mean to mention that ASEAN is more important than GMS.
But I am saying that we can benefit more from GMS. We use
GMS to strengthen ASEAN. ASEAN is important for Thailand
and region. My point is that ASEAN moves too slow compared to
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EU Insights
EU. Some members do not put effort enough in ASEAN, GMS as

well. But GMS is financially sponsored by ADB. So it is good for
ASEAN if it is supported by GMS.
I would like to ask you. What you think what economic

relation of the world is going to be? Considering what is going on
now. If you look at the map, there are NAFA, South Africa trade
grouping, organisation of trade in Africa and so on. So, what is
raison detre of all groupings? What do you think what happen
with the relations among these groupings?
If you ask about economy, emerging economy is Pax

Americana and Pax Europa which is stronger than the former. Pax
Europa is good for world. Pax Sino-Japonica is coming very fast.
Pax Asiana is tracking along Pax Sino-Japonica. Pax Africana is
left behind because of its regional conflict. South Africa needs to
track along Pax Americana. In addition, we need to strengthen
WTO and UN.
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EU Insights
Centre for European Studies
The Centre for European Studies (CES) was established by

the Council of Chulalongkorn University in October 1997, as an
upgrade of the Chulalongkorn University European Studies
Programme (CUESP), an ESP project funded by the European
Commission since 1993. The Centre carries on the activities of the
CUESP, with the aim of providing an academic excellence in
European Studies in Thailand and the ASEAN region.
Mission
The Centre's main objective is to create a better

understanding among Thai academics, students, political and
business makers, government officials and the Thai civil society
about the European Union's affairs, in particular the European
integration process, and the interaction between ASEAN/Thailand
and Europe. It is also to disseminate knowledge and up-to-date
information on European affairs within Thailand and the ASEAN
region by the means of international workshops, conferences,
203
EU Insights
training programmes, teaching and publications. The fact that

networking is a crucial factor in the world of increasing academic
interaction, CES sets to develop and promote a co-operative
network between Thai/ASEAN and European scholars through a
stimulating intellectual environment. The Centre also seeks to
build up linkages between Thai and European institutions, as well
as at the ASEAN and EU levels. To these effects, the Centre
organises international conferences and seminars; undertakes
various researches; publishes journals and books; offers a wide
range of research support facilities at the European Document
Centre (EDC) in collaboration with the Centre for Academic
Resources; and jointly co-ordinates an M.A. programme in
European Studies in collaboration with the Graduate School of
Chulalongkorn University.
204

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Founder Father of European Union

Dr. Charit Tingsabadh:

Ambassador David Fall, the British Ambassador to

It is an honour and pleasure to welcome you to

Let me say a few words about speaker today who has

H.E. David Fall:

Im honoured to be invited to be the first speaker

Now, Dr.Charit said in his introduction that Europe

I think one of the problems is that people in the EU

Let me take it back to the simple question. What does

certain issues, on certain issues only; to a central institution

The first paragraph of the Strategic Programme said

(B)y the end of the period covered by

will have been approved. In addition, the Union

Enlargement has taken place. The EU is now 25

The constitution - remember I am talking on behalf

look at the whole system, the whole purpose really of the

The issue is not a simple one. It is not just between

The second really important impetus is that only

the EU has lost that support among many of the people in

Well, first of all, the UK believes the EU needs to

If you look at the top 20 universities in the world

We need to look outside Europe as well. We need to

world. The EU should also be leading the way and is trying

So that is the background as what you might call the

Tony Blair is a man with the mission. This is his last

Minister again. This is his third term. He needs to put his

Africa is a key area in tackling poverty. You

of the liberalizing of the international trade market, the EUs

We need joint measures within the EU, between the

Beyond the EUs immediate border we have got to

as well on the EUs commitment to open accession

Working with the United States remains a priority. I

And in Asia, we need to develop dialogue with China

century. And it is very important that Europe works together

I think it is a very patchy record of working together.

We brought in many Asian values, including many

How does all this impact on Thailand? Well, one of

So I hope I have given you there in the very broad

Ambassador of the Republic of Poland:

Congratulations, I am saying a word is not only

career academicians. I would like to give one remarks and to

As far as the remarks is concerned, David Fall,

Definitely, we can say the European Union is not a

David kindly remarked and I put it into my note that

Constitution. So I would like to know your personal view or

H.E. David Fall:

We will not make this discussion between diplomats;

It is an increasingly interdependent world obviously.

Now what is the future for EU Constitution? Well, I

I think what we have to do is to find a way, of

Prof. Dr. Pornsan Watananguhn:

Im Pornsan Wattanangkun, from Centre for

cannot compare with some elite institutions of some

Another point, Dr. Charit has mentioned the outcome

And my question to the Ambassador, you have

I come from Business Day. I have two questions.

The second is the question based on demography that

H.E. David Fall:

Education, the comment first of all from Ajarn

Europe is still highly respected as the best in the world. And