French FM emphasises regional integration in Asia

SOUTH KOREA: Asian countries should effectively communicate to their citizens the benefits of coming together as a region - something Europe has failed to do, French Finance Minister Christine Lagarde said Sunday.

“We all know how helpful and beneficial regional integration can be,” Lagarde said. “But the man and the woman in the street, they don’t necessarily know.”

Lagarde made the remarks during a keynote speech to a conference on regional integration held on the eve of a meeting of finance ministers from the 43-member Asia-Europe Meeting, or ASEM.

She was speaking after voters in Ireland last week rejected the Lisbon Treaty - the latest European Union attempt to change powers and institutions to adapt to its rapid expansion into Eastern Europe.

The document requires unanimous approval by all 27 EU nations to be ratified.

“I think that one of the mistakes that we have made in terms of fostering and promoting integration has to do with communication,” she said. “When you move towards better integration, make sure that you always along the way communicate the positive outcome of that integration.” Lagarde said the benefits of EU integration are undeniable, citing job creation, increased investment flows and the role of the European Central bank amid the global credit crisis. But she added the public tends to take a pessimistic view because of what she described as “the narrow angle that is generally taken by media.”

Seogwipo, Monday, AFP