Sixth ASEM Summit concludes successfully

The two-day Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit concluded in Helsinki, Finland, on September 11 by adopting the Chairmans Statement, declarations on the future of ASEM and on climate change. It also agreed to further develop Asia-Europe relations and support Vietnam and Laos’ early admission to the WTO.

The Chairmans statement was delivered by Finlands Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen who attributed the success of the summit to the active participation of representatives from 38 countries and the President of the European Union.

The statement emphasised 10 years of ASEM: Global Challenges - Joint Responses, which dealt with major issues including strengthening multilateralism and solving security threats, globalisation and competitiveness, the environment, energy security and culture-civilisation dialogues.

"Looking back at the first ten years of ASEM, leaders welcomed ASEMs overall achievements in promoting peace and stability, emphasising that during its first decade ASEM has gained strength as a multifaceted dialogue facilitator and established its role as a platform for policy development between Asia and Europe," said PM Matti Vanhanen in the statement.

He added that ASEM leaders had an important decision when they invited the two acceding EU member states, Bulgaria and Romania, as well as India, Mongolia, Pakistan and the ASEAN Secretariat on the Asian sides, to participate in the ASEM process. Leaders looked forward to the formal celebration of the admission of the new partners at the 2008 ASEM summit in China.

The meeting spent much time discussing measures to boost economic cooperation between the two continents. It called for the early resumption of the Doha round of talks and measures to help developing countries to further integrate into the global trade.

The meeting agreed to further develop Asia-Europe cooperation through the Economic Ministers’ Meetings to realise the Hanoi Declaration on Closer ASEM Economic Partnership.

ASEM leaders voiced strong support for Vietnam and Laos’ bid to join the World Trade Organisation early and welcomed Vietnam’s initiative to host an ICT Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for this December.

They stressed the need to conserve energy and develop renewal energy resources to ensure sufficient supplies in the future. They also shared the view that sustainable development is the harmonious combination between economic growth, social equality, proper use of natural resources and environmental protection. They also called on all countries to ratify and implement the UN treaty on climate change and the Kyoto Protocol.

The meeting emphasised the important role of dialogues on cultures, civilisations and faith, considering them important areas to be addressed.

After the closing ceremony, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung met Vietnamese businesses attending the Asia-Europe Business Forum as part of the ASEM summit. He said various forms of enterprises have been developed in the country after 20 years of implementing the Doi Moi (Renewal) process. However, he said, Vietnamese businesses still reveal weaknesses in the international economic integration, citing their poor management and financial skills.

Mr Dung affirmed that integration is an inevitable trend and that businesses should work harder to gain firm foothold in the domestic and global market through business forums and other international exchanges.

(Source: VOV)