EU, ASEAN should work closer together, ‘avoid adding fuel to the fire’, Cambodia PM says

With changed geopolitical realities, the EU and ASEAN should move closer together to tackle evolving crises and bolster multilateral approaches, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, current chairman of the Southeast Asian union, told EURACTIV ahead of the two blocs’ first joint summit.

EU leaders will meet their ASEAN counterparts in Brussels on Wednesday (14 December) to mark the 45th anniversary of their diplomatic relations. The two blocs are set to discuss areas of future cooperation, including trade, green and digital transitions, and health.

“ASEAN and EU are natural partners as they are the two most important regional groupings that have exemplified how multilateralism still remains the best solution to regional and global issues affecting all of us,” Hun Sen said.

The EU already outlined the importance of close collaboration with ASEAN in its Indo-Pacific strategy released in 2021.

Since Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, the EU has further intensified its push to foster closer ties with the region, which is increasingly gaining in geostrategic and economic importance. 

Common grounds on Ukraine?

The EU is keen for a joint summit communiqué to describe the war in Ukraine as an act of aggression by Russia. An EU official said the bloc was very positive on prospects for the wording, as many ASEAN countries widely share Western concerns, while admitting it was not an easy task.

Despite the close historical relationships of most ASEAN countries with Russia, only Laos and Thailand did not support the UN resolution in October that called on Russia to immediately withdraw from Ukraine and declared the Russian annexations of captured Ukrainian territories illegal.

“Our view and position on the war in Ukraine are based on principles of international law and the United Nations Charter. We have a strong view that independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity shall be respected,” Hun Sen stressed.

Next to Singapore, which enacted sanctions against Russia, Cambodia was one of the most vocal supporters of Ukraine.

While Cambodia would always be “grateful for the invaluable assistance” of the former Soviet Union, Hun Sen stressed that Russia’s violation of international law should not remain unanswered.

“As a small state, relying on international law, the rules-based international order is the only means to seek justice and to prevent an order based on ‘might is right’,” he added.

‘No fuel to the fire’

While ASEAN would not take any side and is opposed to any form of “bloc politics”, it would be well-placed to “forge constructive dialogue in building trust and confidence among many parties concerned,” Hun Sen said.

“We do not want to be a part of China’s containment policy, nor do we want to be supportive of any war for hegemony.”.

Instead, “all ASEAN leaders share a common view that stable relations between the US and China are extremely critical for global peace and stability as well as for sustainable development,” he said and stressed that ASEAN countries would aim to “work with both superpowers”.

Hun Sen said that these “confrontational aspects” would be “less severe for EU-China relations.” However, the dangers of bloc politics would still be prevalent in many areas.

“ASEAN and EU have an important role to play in showing how multilateralism can work to build trust and confidence. We should avoid adding fuel to the fire,” he said.

Like-minded partners?

The current ASEAN-EU action plan that will last until 2027 is planned to be one of the main cornerstones of the intensified cooperation and includes various areas ranging from political and security to economic cooperation.

The new action plan would “reaffirm our mutual belief in an open, inclusive, and rules-based international order reiterates our commitment to regional integration and bolsters our regional cooperation aimed towards achieving peace, stability, and prosperity”, the Cambodian prime minister said.

However, while both blocs share joint approaches, especially when it comes to the necessity of a rules-based international order, sticking points remain when it comes to human rights. 

The military coup in Myanmar in 2021 and the massacres that came with it have been met with unease by European policymakers. 

In 2020, the EU also decided to withdraw some tariff preferences for Cambodia over the crackdown against the opposition. 

[Edited by Alexandra Brzozowski/Zoran Radosavljevic]