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9th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting closes in Hanoi

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-05-26 21:12

HANOI -- The 9th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) closed in Hanoi on Tuesday, with concrete measures on strengthening cooperation to cope with the global challenges.

"We have conducted candid, open and productive discussion on many important international and regional issues, as well as ASEM cooperation and its future development," said Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem at the closing ceremony of the meeting.

Related readings:  9th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting opens in Hanoi

Khiem summarized the outcomes of the meetings in five aspects.

First, ASEM foreign ministers have decided to reconvene the ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting (EMM) and welcomed India's readiness to consider the possibility of hosting the EMM by the end of this year.

Second, ministers shared the view that ASEM should promote political dialogues through various channels and forms to enhance friendship, mutual trust and respect.

Third, ministers have agreed ASEM should continue to play an active and responsible role in coping with global challenges.

Fourth, ministers at the meeting adopted initiatives in various areas of climate change, development cooperation, information technology, urban development and others.

Fifth, ministers at the meeting discussed the ASEM enlargement and welcomed the applications of Australia and Russia to ASEM, said Khiem.

The meeting passed a Chair's Statement, which laid out measures for strengthened cooperation to address the international financial and economic crisis and cope with global challenges.

The statement called for enhancement of political dialogue and dialogue among cultures and civilizations. It also envisioned ASEM future development.

According to the meeting, the 8th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 8) will be held in Brussels, Belgium from Oct. 4 to 5 next year.

Belgium, host of ASEM 8, propose at the meeting that ASEM 8 could discuss how to turn the economic challenges into a global opportunity to promote the quality of life.

On the sideline of the ASEM 8, Belgium plans to organize a business forum and a major exhibition on 25 centuries of cultural and trade relations between Europe and Asia, according to Achten.

The ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting is responsible for the overall coordination of the ASEM process. The ASEM brings together16 Asian countries, 27 European nations, the ASEAN Secretariat and the European Commission.

The 10th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting will be held in Hungary in 2011.