Lavrov leaves for Brussels to take part in ASEM8 Summit.

4/10 Tass 117

MOSCOW, October 4 (Itar-Tass) - Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov
left for Brussels to take part in the 8th summit of the Asia Europe Summit
(ASEM8).
During the two-day session, Russia will formalise its entry into this
format. Forty-five states maintain successful cooperation within this
format in the fields of politics, security, finances, economy, as well as
in the social and cultural spheres.
"Russia's entry into this format will prove the ASEM summiteers'
interest in strengthening partnership with Moscow - a bridge between
Europe and Asia. We are taking an important step towards pursuing Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev's policy to reinforce our positions in the Asia
Pacific Region and intensify our participation in multilateral regional
associations," the Foreign Ministry reported.
According to Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko, Russia will
put forth concrete proposals at the ASEM8 forum. The diplomat confirmed
Russia's drive for "creating a transparent and equal security system,
which will be based on collective mechanisms, the norms and principles of
international law, as well as the interests of all states of the region".
"In order to achieve this goal it is necessary to create a network of
organisations and forums, and develop diplomatic contacts," Nesterenko
said.
On October 2 and on October 3, on the eve of the ASEM8 Summit, ASEM
partners gathered in Brussels at the level of senior officials in order to
finalise preparations for the meeting of their leaders.
ASEM Coordinators of the Republic of Korea, Cambodia, the European
Commission and ASEM 8 held consultations at the Castle 'Val Duchesse' on
October 2. The Senior Officials' Meeting itself brought together the
senior representatives of the 45 ASEM partners and new partners from
Australia, Russia and New Zealand at the renovated Egmont Palace, in
Brussels.
On the agenda were the final run-through of the summit proceedings and
the summit texts. Belgium, as the Host of the ASEM 8 Summit, welcomed with
gratitude the spirit of compromise and of cooperation that produced
convergence on the full set of proposals to be submitted to the Heads of
State and of Government.
The agenda of the summit is to enhance prosperity and ensure a decent
life for all citizens. The summiteers, including King Albert II of
Belgium, South Korean President Lee Myung Bak, Chinese Prime Minister Wen
Jiabao and Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan, will discuss measures to
overcome the financial crisis, fight terrorism, ensure energy security and
protect human rights.
A final document, which will be adopted with Russia's participation,
will determine ways towards more effective world economic management.
ASEM was founded in March 1996. Now the organisation includes 45
members - these are 27 EU countries, the European Commission and 16 Asian
states (10 ASEAN members, China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India,
Pakistan and Mongolia), as well as the ASEAN Secretariat. The summiteers
will also admit new members. Russia, Australia and New Zealand will join
in the proceedings for the first time.
This year will be the eighth privileged occasion to give expression to
the common views of Asia and Europe. Representing 58 percent of global
population, 50 percent of global GDP and over 60 percent of global trade,
this gathering will hopefully inspire the world community. Indeed, a month
later, the first G-20 meeting to take place in a non G-8 country will
gather in Seoul, the 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.
The ASEM leaders will address these and other global challenges but
they will naturally also focus on the relationship between the two
regions. They will seek to strengthen their political dialogue, enhance
their trade and investment relationship, expand people to people and
cultural exchanges and further develop ASEM as their common strategic
asset. The agenda is being established collectively, in all transparency
and through an inclusive process of consultation involving every ASEM
partner. That process will continue until the very day of the Summit. ASEM
8 is truly the Summit of each European and each Asian partner.
-0-yur