BELGIUM: Asia-EU summit, just ended in Brussels, lays grounds for upcoming G20 summit in Seoul and ASEAN meeting in Hanoi, participants say

Record ID: 859316

  • Title: BELGIUM: Asia-EU summit, just ended in Brussels, lays grounds for upcoming G20 summit in Seoul and ASEAN meeting in Hanoi, participants say
  • Date: 6th October 2010
  • Summary: BRUSSELS, BELGIUM (OCTOBER 5, 2010) (REUTERS) AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER JULIA GILLARD AND ASEAN SECRETARY GENERAL SURIN PITSUWAN EUROPEAN COMMISSION PRESIDENT JOSE MANUEL BARROSO (on right) AND EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT HERMAN VAN ROMPUY (middle) SOUTH KOREAN PRESIDENT LEE MYUNG-BAK TALKING TO BELGIAN PRESIDENT YVES LETERME INDONESIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MARTY NATALEGAWA (second on left) AND MORE MINISTERS SITTING DOWN VARIOUS OF LAOS PRIME MINISTER BOUASONE BOUGHAVANH NEW ZEALAND FOREIGN MINISTER MURRAY MCCULLY AND PAKISTAN FOREIGN MINISTER SHAH MAHMOUD QURESHI MINISTERS AT TABLE
  • Embargoed: 21st October 2010 13:00
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  • Location: Belgium
  • City:
  • Country: Belgium
  • Topics:
  • Reuters ID: LVATV92S0M2E0BKYZT1S4W4SWGN
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  • Story Text: Leaders at the Asia-EU summit which ended in Brussels on Tuesday (October 5) pledged to strengthen growth, carry out structural reforms and achieve sustainable growth.
    In a draft declaration on global economic governance, the leaders also resolved to give new impetus to cooperation between Europe and Asia. Two priorities have been outlined - restoring market confidence and preserving the momentum of the global economic recovery.
    Speaking at the final news conference of the summit, European Council President Herman van Rompuy said the meetings helped lay the ground work for the upcoming G20 in Seoul.
    "We have sent clear signals on the modernisation of the international financial institutions. This process needs to take into account the realities of today's world economy - the shifts that have taken place, and the strong growth in dynamic emerging markets and in developing economies. In parallel it needs to address wider governance issues as well," van Rompuy said.
    Many said the ASEM summit was a good opportunity to try and resolve regional disputes and prepare for the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Hanoi later this month where Japan and China are expected to continue talks they began in Brussels.
    Japan's Prime Minister Naoto Kan and China's premier Wen Jiabao met for 25 minutes after a working dinner at an Asia-Europe summit in Brussels on Monday (October 4), their first face-to-face contact since the incident near disputed islands in the East China Sea.
    Lee Myung-Bak, South Korean President said Japanese and Chinese leaders reacted positively to the proposal of continuing start high level talks to repair their relations during the Hanoi summit.
    "There is friction between China and Japan and it is a fact. In the northeast Asia there are three countries -- China, Korea and Japan -- which, I believe, if they fall into a conflict this will not only threaten peace in northeast Asia but will also pose a threat to the prosperity of the whole region region," Lee said.
    "Both leaders gave a very positive response to my proposal so I believe that at the ASEAN+3 summit meeting we will be able to meet and hold trilateral talks that will help us maintain cooperation between the three countries," Lee added.
    The ASEAN summit is due to be held in the Vietnamese capital, Hanoi on October 28-30.
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