Source: CriEnglish (China)
Source type: Newspaper
Published on: 21 Sep 2010

Australia, New Zealand and Russia will be officially declared as new Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) partners in the 8th ASEM Summit in Belgium's Brussels as they have been actively involved in activities held by Asian and European countries, an Indonesian official said Tuesday in Jakarta.

Australia, New Zealand and Russia will be officially declared as new Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) partners in the 8th ASEM Summit in Belgium's Brussels as they have been actively involved in activities held by Asian and European countries, an Indonesian official said Tuesday in Jakarta.

Dian Wirengjurit, director for Intra Regional Cooperation for America and Europe at the Indonesia's Foreign Ministry, told the press that Australia and New Zealand have been actively engaged in Asia Summit and other activities.

"Even in soccer game, they are included in Asia team," Wirengjurit told reporters.

Based on the facts, he said, Asia and Europe have considered that both countries could become new partners through Asian corridor.

"Clearly, they have involved in Asia," said Wirengjurit.

Meanwhile, he said, Russia's admittance to be the ASEM's partner is through European corridor.

Russia is not member of the European Union so the country cannot represent the bloc. "However, we see Europe as not only European Union but as the continent itself," he said.

He added that based on Asia-Europe agreement in 2000, the two continents are open for countries locate there.

The 8th ASEM Summit will be held on Oct. 4-5 in Brussels, Belgium. The meeting will officially welcome Australia, New Zealand and Russia as new ASEM partners.

ASEM is an informal process of dialog and cooperation, bringing together the 27 European Union member states and the European Commission with 16 Asian countries and the ASEAN Secretariat.

The ASEM dialog addresses political, economic and cultural issues, with the objective of strengthening the relationship between the two regions, in a spirit of mutual respect, mutual benefit and equal partnership.

- CRIENGLISH http://english.cri.cn/6966/2010/09/21/45s595650.htm