Solidarity important to AEC

BANGKOK, 1 December 2009 (NNT) – In order to have strong economic ties like the European Union (EU), ASEAN requires solidity among member states to overcome disparities and to build a single market and production base, according to a former member of the European Parliament.

Dr Christoph Konrad, former Member of the European Parliament and designated Secretary-General to the SME Union of the European’s People Party, said that solidarity was the headline of the integration process in the EU.

Solidarity was a good investment for the future of both the country itself and the region. “No matter how big a country is, richer countries always pay for poorer countries. We all know that if our neighbor country is successful, then we are too”, Dr Konrad said.

However, before lending a hand to other countries, each country should check their own strengths and weaknesses to ensure sustainable development.

Dr Konrad said that the ASEAN could take the EU as an example for its patience. The EU has taken over 50 years to build a single market and community.

He suggested that common currency and parliament could benefit acceleration of the AEC’s establishment since they were good bases for successful development. “If you have an integration process with a couple of countries, you need the democratic base for development. We all know it must be a parliament”, Dr Konrad stated.

A common parliament was one of the most important points in bringing in the integration process in a democratic way. He said that Japan and Europe both had a democratic base and strong economies. If countries in the same region have a lot of cooperation it makes the countries grow up with a stronger bond, Dr Konrad said.