Source: Pakistan Times (Pakistan)
Source type: Newspaper
Published on: 23 Sep 2010
ISLAMABAD: The forthcoming Asia-Europe Meeting being held in Brussels, in first week of next month will play an important role in strengthening the political dialogue, enhance trade and investment relationship, expand people to people and cultural exchanges between the member states belonging to Asia and Europe.
ISLAMABAD: The forthcoming Asia-Europe Meeting being held in Brussels, in first week of next month will play an important role in strengthening the political dialogue, enhance trade and investment relationship, expand people to people and cultural exchanges between the member states belonging to Asia and Europe.
This was stated by Ambassador of Belgium to Pakistan Hans Christian Kint and EU Ambassador Jan de Kok while addressing a joint press conference here on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani will lead Pakistan’s delegation to this important meeting which will be attended by over 48 heads of states and government from Europe and Asia held at Brussels on October 4 and 5.
Ambassador Christian Kint said, the ASEM would provide the opportunity for Asian and European leaders to meet in a personal and interactive atmosphere. He said that the mandate of ASEM is to “find common ground between Asia and Europe that can be used in other fora and developed in view of the future. Ambassador Jan de Kok said, “Since the inception of the ASEM process in 1996, Asia and Europe have kept their biennial appointment with remarkable regularity and last was held in Beijing two years ago.”
The ASEM Summit in Brussels on 4 and 5 October this year will be the eighth privileged occasion to give expression to the common views of Asia and Europe, he added. He said representing 58 % of global population, 50 % of global GDP and over 60% of global trade, this gathering will hopefully inspire the world community.
He said ASEM leaders will address these and other global challenges but they will naturally also focus on the relationship between the two regions. Ambassador Jan de Kok said, “A People’s Forum, a Business Forum and a Parliamentary Forum will be held in parallel to the gathering of the Heads of State and of Government. Also ASEM’s only institution, the Asia Europe Foundation, will organize a ‘Connecting Civil Societies’ Conference in the margin of the Summit.”
He said Russia, Australia and New Zealand will join in the proceedings for the first time. Replying to a question to adopt similar position by EU for Pakistan as it has adopted for Bangladesh, Ambassador Jan de Kok said two countries could not be compared. He said Bangladesh was among the least developing countries therefore, it has extra concessions.
About recent decision of European Council to give concession to Pakistan for textile sector, he said, these concession would be for limited period and for specific products and after the approval from World Trade Organization as EU wanted to give level playing field to all the countries. He said among various subjects, energy, sustainable development, global issues like terrorism and regional issues would also be discussed in the ASEM.
About Pak-India relations, he said, EU always encouraged that the issues between the two countries should be resolved through negotiations. Replying to a question, he said, negotiations and use of force, both should be used to tackle the issue of extremist elements. He said negotiations could be with those elements who will give respect to rule of law and lay down arms but not with those who will continue fighting.
Answering a question, he said ministerial meeting of Friends of Democratic Pakistan (FoDP) will also be held at Brussels on October 14 and 15 to discuss the future projects.
-Sarah Kamal 'Pakistan Times' Diplomatic Correspondent http://www.pakistantimes.net/pt/detail.php?newsId=14879
