France and the New Euro-Asia Partnership 9789814377287

Citation preview

FRANCE AND THE NEW EURO ..ASIAN PARTNERSHIP

The Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (!SEAS) was established as an autonomous organization in 1968. It is a regional research centre for scholars and other specialists concerned with modem Southeast Asia 7 particularly the many-faceted problems of stability and security7 economic development 7 and political and social change. The Institute 7s research programmes are the Regional Economic Studies Programme (RES) 7 Regional Strategic and Political Studies Programme (RSPS) 7 Regional Social and Cultural Studies Programme (RSCS) 7 and the Indochina Programme (ICP). The Institute is governed by a twenty-two-member Board of Trustees comprising nominees from the Singapore Govemment 7 the National University of Singapore 7 the various Chambers of Commerce 7 and professional and civic organizations. A ten-man Executive Committee oversees day-to-day operationsi it is chaired by the Director7 the Institutes chief academic and administrative officer.

Jacques Chirac FRANCE AND

THE NEW EURO--ASIAN PARTNE RSHIP

I5ER5 INSTITUTE OF SOUTHEAST ASIAN STUDIES

Published by Institute of Southeast Asian Studies Heng Mui Keng Terrace Pasir Panjang Singapore 119596 Internet e-mail: [email protected] WWW: http://merlion.iseas.ac.sg/pub.htm l All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

© 1996 Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore The responsibility for facts and opinions expressed in this publication rests exclusively with the author, and his interpretations do not necessarily reflect the vte\XJS or the policy of the Institute or its supporters.

Cataloguing in Publication Data

Chirac, Jacques, 1932France and the new Euro-Asian partnership. 1. France - Foreign economic relations - Asia. 2. Asia - Foreign economic relations - France. 3. Europe - Foreign economic relations - Asia. 4. Asia - Foreign economic relations - Europe. 5. Europe - Foreign relations - Asia; Southeastern. 6. Asia; Southeastern - Foreign relations - Europe I. Title. sls96-25723 1996 HF1583 Z4E8C54 ISBN 981-3055-33-2 ISSN 0129-1920 Typeset by The Fototype Business Printed and bound in Singapore by Vetak Services

CONTENTS

Opening Address George yea

1 La France et le Nouveau Partenariat Euro-Asiatique ]acques Chirac

5 France and the New Euro-Asian Partnership ]acques Chirac

23 Closing Address Chan Heng Chee

41

This paper was delivered by Mr Jacques Chirac1 President of the French Republic1 at a Public Lecture organized by the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies in Singapore on 29 February 1996.

OPENING ADDRESS George Yeo

Not long a&er becoming President of the French Republic in May 19957 President Jacques Chirac announced that France would resume nuclear tests in the South Pacific. This triggered off a storm of protests around the world. Throughout the period of tests7 President Chirac responded to harsh international criticisms in a measured7 calm and dignified manner. What concessions the President could make 7 he made. But on what he felt were fundamental to the national interest of France and to the preservation of her leadership role in the world7 the President stood firm. The tests have been successfully completed and the dust has settled. Most countries7 including Singapore 7 welcome President Chirads decision to stop conducting further nuclear tests and to close down the test site 1

George }lc:o

on Mururoa Atoll. The determination of France to complete negotiations on a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty this year and to reduce its land-based nuclear arsenal are moves which will make for a safer world. It will also reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation. With the end of the Cold War, the intertional situation is being reshaped in a dramatic way It will become a more complex multi-polar world. A strong, independent and self-confident France will help to improve and bring order to such a world. In Europe, a self-confident France will strengthen the European Union as a union of sovereign powers. Such a France will also help to keep the European economy open to the world. A strong France is also important for the maintenance of the Atlantic Alliance, without which many of the problems on the European Union's eastern and southern borders cannot be solved. Even the fragile peace in the Balkans cannot be maintained without this Atlantic Alliance. It was symbolic that having asserted France's independence, President Chirac should make a state visit to the United States earlier this month and give a keynote speech to the US. Congress reaffirming Franco-U.S. ties and calling for a new strategic partnership between Europe and North America. 2

Opening Address

A French Republic confident of her position as the world7s fourth largest economy, the world7s fourth largest exporter of goods and the world 7s second largest exporter of services7 should also take a leading role in promoting closer European-Asian relations. France was a strong supporter of the coming Asia-Europe Meeting in Bangkok from the start. President Chirac took a keen interest in this historic meeting from the moment he became President. President Chirac has a deep interest in Asian cultures and is a well-known connoisseur of Chinese and Japanese porcelains and paintings. The relationship between France and Singapore is broad and deep. The personal relationship between President Chirac and both PM Goh Chok Tong and SM Lee Kuan Yew is also of long standing. We in Singapore are proud of our friendship with France. We are honoured that President Chirac should choose to make a major speech on "France and the New Euro-Asian Partnership 77 in Singapore. We live in a period of great international uncertainty in between the certitudes of the Cold War and the promise of the 21st Century. Nothing is pre-determined in human history. At history7s great turning points7 such as the one we are now navigating7 men of vision play a decisive role. We expect and look forward to 3

George yeo

President Chirac playing such a role in making this a better world for us all. Excellencies7 Ladies and Gentlemen7 it is now my great pleasure to present you the President of the French Republic.

4

LA FRANCE ET LE NOUVEAU PARTENARIAT EURO-ASIATIQUE Jacques Chirac

Monsieur le Premier Ministre 7 Excellences, Mesdames et Messieurs. Faime FAsie. Je Fai decouverte, avec passion, des mon adolescence, grace a ces savants Eran~ais qui firen~ connaitre au monde les grandes civilisations de !'ExtremeOrient. Fen ai decouvert les arts fascinants clans nos musees, Guimet notamment7 ou je passais de longues heures derobees au Lycee. Des Fage adulte 7 je suis yenu decouvrir FAsie. Ses campagnes7 ses rizieres ou s'enracinent des modes de vie et des morales millenairesj ses villes ou s'incarnent la vitalite 7 le dynamisme 7 Fingeniosite de ses peuples. Saint-John Perse 7 prix Nobel, diplomate et poete, avait raison de dire: ail rr'y a pas de formation humaine complete sans sejour en Extreme-Orient'~ De tres frequents voyages au Japon7 de nombreuses 5

}acques Chirac

visites en Chine, en Con~e, en Inde, au Vietnam, clans les pays de FASEAN, ont nourri ma passion pour votre continent. C'est a Singapour que j'ai souhaite faire ma premiere visite officielle en Asie depuis mon election a la tete de FEtat fran