ASEAN Needs EU Partnership: PM
European Council President Charles Michel (L), Cambodia's Prime Minister and Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) president Hun Sen and President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen pose with EU and ASEAN flags in the background as they attend the EU-ASEAN summit at the European Council headquarters in Brussels on December 14, 2022. Photo by Kenzo TRIBOUILLARD / AFP
- By Torn Chanritheara
- December 15, 2022 12:52 PM
PHNOM PENH – ASEAN does not always expect help from the EU but needs complementary economic relations, Prime Minister Hun Sen said after the EU announced a 10-billion-euro investment package for the region.
There was a greater need for a free trade agreement, he said on Dec. 14.
ASEAN-EU free trade agreement talks started in 2007 but have stalled with no date in sight for them to restart. Rather, the EU has signed individual deals with ASEAN members Singapore and Vietnam.
Hun Sen, as ASEAN Chair for 2022, co-chaired the first ever ASEAN-EU Summit with President of the European Council Charles Michel on Dec. 14 in Brussels. The summit marked the 45th anniversary of the dialogue partnership.
During the summit, the EU announced the 10-billion-euro investment package under its 300-billion-euro Global Gateway program which aims at narrowing the investment gap across the world.
In a joint press conference, Hun Sen said that ASEAN seeks a free trade agreement that benefits both blocs.
“ASEAN is not always expecting help from the EU but seeks to complement the two regional economies. Indeed, European countries are more advanced. ASEAN is not just a place to receive assistance from the EU,” he said.
The outgoing ASEAN Chair said also that political issues such as Myanmar or human rights should not hinder negotiations on a trade agreement.
The partnership must be based on equal terms and one side cannot impose conditions on the other. While acknowledging the differences, the PM said the common goal is to connect the blocs with economies that complement one another.
“Hopefully, this is a wake-up call for ASEAN to strive to stand as an equal partner with equal rights with the EU,” he said.
