BRUSSEL: The 8th Asia-Europe Summit [ASEM-8] begins here on Monday . Leaders of 46 Asian and European countries are attending the two day Summit, which opens at the Royal Palace.
Vice President M Hamid Ansari is here to attend the summit. The summit will focus on various issues including climate change, ways of strengthening the multilateral trade system, financial and economic management and other issues of interest to the two regions.
Earlier speaking to media persons on board the Special Aircraft to Brussles the Vice President said that the issue of terrorism is high on India’s agenda at the summit.
A host of other issues, including the strengthening of the multilateral trade system, terrorism, weapons of mass destruction and other regional issues will also figure in the two day meet.
Vice President M Hamid Ansari will be holding bilateral meetings on Monday morning with the President of the European Council Mr Herman Van Rompuy, the Finnish Prime Minister Ms Mari Kivineum and President of Latvia Mr Valdis Zatlers. Later he will hold discussions with the Malaysian Prime Minister Dato Sri Mohammed Najib bin Tun Abdul.
The Royal Palace in Brussels, where the Summit is being held, is under a cloak of heavy security following reports of a possible attack on Europe by Al Qaeda. All roads leading to the meeting venue are kept out of bounds for the public with armed police men deployed for security duty round the clock
Representing 58 % of global population, 50 % of global GDP and over 60% of global trade, this gathering will hopefully inspire the world community. A month later, the first G-20 meeting to take place in a non G-8 country will gather in Seoul, Republic of Korea, to shape the policies that are required in the face of the financial and economic crisis.
A few weeks thereafter, the 16th Conference of the Parties of the Climate Change Convention will meet in Cancun, Mexico, to pursue the efforts started at the Copenhagen Summit of December last year.(AMN)
