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Asian, European foreign ministers discuss ways to enhance connectivity

Xinhua, November 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

Foreign ministers from Asian and European countries gathered here Thursday for a meeting within the framework of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) to discuss ways to enhance connectivity between Europe and Asia across a range of sectors.

The 12th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting, under the theme "Working Together for a Sustainable and Secure Future," was expected to prepare for ASEM's 20th anniversary, to be celebrated at the 11th ASEM Summit in Mongolia in July 2016.

"It will be an important occasion to confirm the region-to-region dialogue and cooperation in the context of ASEM," said the foreign ministers in a press release.

Moreover, the meeting was expected to build consensus toward an ambitious, global and legally binding agreement under the the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Disaster management and the future of ASEM, along with international and regional issues, were also high on the agenda. The meeting was also regarded as a prime opportunity to come together on issues that require a global response such as migration and the fight against terrorism and extremism.

"It is a real gathering of huge number of countries around the world to talk together on main issues on common international agenda, including climate change, sustainable development goals, security in the Asia and around Europe," Federica Mogherini, High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission said upon arrival.

"We will discuss in concrete terms what we can do together," Mogherini said, who will chair the meeting.

At the end of the meeting, a chair's statement will be issued. A large number of bilateral meetings were expected to take place in the margins of the ministerial meeting.

Foreign ministers from about 50 European and Asian countries, as well as the secretary-general of ASEAN participated in the two-day meeting.

ASEM is an intergovernmental forum for dialogue and cooperation which fosters political dialogue, reinforces economic cooperation and promotes collaboration in other areas of common interest.

The initial ASEM partnership in 1996 consisted of 15 EU member states and 7 ASEAN member states plus China, Japan, South Korea and the European Commission.

The latest round of enlargement during the 10th ASEM Summit in October 2014 in Italy welcomed Croatia on the European side, and Kazakhstan on the Asian side, which brought the total ASEM membership to 53 partners. Endi