Asia Europe People's Forum II

Asia Europe People's Forum II
London, England, 31 March - 1 April 1998

• Introduction
• Civil Society Groups Demand a Real Say in ASEM
• Action not Gimmicks -Asia Europe People's Forum Rejects Proposed Trust Fund
• Amnesty International: Human Rights Agenda for ASEM
• AEPF: Recommendations to ASEM 2

INTRODUCTION
THE ASIA EUROPE PEOPLE'S FORUM
London, 31 March - 1 April

The Asia Europe People's Forum held a two-day conference in London on 31 March - 1 April entitled ASEM and Crisis: Peoples Realities and Peoples Responses.

The Steering Group for the Asia Europe People's Forum includes:

Asia Cultural Forum on Development (ACFOD), Thailand Asia House, Germany Asian Regional Exchange for New Alternatives (ARENA), Hong Kong Catholic Institute for International Relations (CIIR), UK Focus on the Global South, Thailand Institute for Popular Democracy (IPD), Philippines One World Action, UK Pacific Asia Resource Centre (PARC), Japan People's Solidarity for Participatory Democracy (PSPD), South
Korea Transnational Institute (TNI), The Netherlands

The Forum had three key aims:

Make the ASEM process more consultative, participatory, transparent and accountable: Ensure that economic discussion at ASEM addresses the impact of policies on ordinary people, human rights and the environment Broaden the ASEM agenda to include governance and human rights issues, environmental sustainability and people-centred development.

ASEM 2: Any Other Business?

Strengthening democracy and human rights

The Asia Europe People's Forum is deeply concerned that the issues of democracy and human rights have not been centre-stage in discussions at ASEM 2. The Forum believes that ASEM has avoided genuinely integrating the development of greater economic links and the promotion and strengthening of democracy and human rights. It believes that this artificial division is dangerous and unsustainable.

'It is unacceptable to divorce discussions on economic co-operation and democracy and human rights. We fear that the economic agreements struck at ASEM 2 are at the expense of the immediate and long-term welfare and rights of ordinary people', said the Forum's spokesperson, Hilary Coulby of the Catholic Institute for International Relations.

Environment and Workers' Rights

The Asia Europe People's Forum welcomes the commitment to strengthening Asia Europe co-operation on environmental issues, but warns that words are not enough and that ASEM must also develop a strong social dimension which promotes worker's rights and ensures that internationally recognised and accepted labour standards are met. In particular, the Forum is critical of the Trade Facilitation Action Plan and Investment Promotion Action Plan for their total absence of environmental and social objectives.

'We have long argued that the environment and workers' rights cannot be sacrificed to the altar of business interests. As a first step, government leaders would do well to recognise the valuable contribution which environment and development groups, and the international trade union
movement, can make to the ASEM process', said the Forum's spokesperson, Andy Rutherford of One World Action.

Tackling the Social Impact of the Economic Crisis

The Asia Europe People's Forum is deeply concerned by the lack of serious discussion at ASEM2 on the social impact of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) loan packages in East Asian countries. The Forum believes that the IMF policies have intensified poverty and increased hardship for ordinary people.

'We continue to strongly urge Europe to take a lead on radical reform of the IMF. As a significant first move, European Union governments should use their 29 per cent share of voting power within the IMF, and their influence on the IMF Executive Board, to press for a review and restructuring of the organisation to make it more transparent, accountable and democratic', Hillary Coulby said.

Civil Society

The Asia Europe People's Forum warmly welcomes European Commission President Jacques Santer's support for a greater involvement of civil society in the ASEM process. The Forum, which brings together a broad range of citizens' groups and people's organisations across Asia and Europe, is committed to being an integral part of the ASEM process.

'We were greatly encouraged by ASEM Chair Tony Blair's emphasis on partnership and greater exchange between Asia and Europe. We are looking forward to the development of space within the ASEM process to enable the participation of civil society groups such as women's organisations, farmers, workers and groups working with the urban poor', Andy Rutherford said.

Vision Group

The Asia Europe People's Forum welcomes the establishment of the Asia Europe Vision Group and is urging government leaders to take on board the People's Vision recommendations which the Forum delivered to heads of government at the start of ASEM 2. The Forum looks forward to having an ongoing input into the work of the Vision Group.

'We hope that the first meeting of the Vision Group in Cambridge on 6 April will fully discuss the views and recommendations of the thousands of networks and organisations, representing millions of ordinary people across Asia and Europe, whose ow vision of Asia Europe relations is expressed in the People's Vision', Andy Rutherford said.