ID :
26201
Thu, 10/23/2008 - 18:02
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/26201
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Lee heads to China for ASEM summit By Yoo Cheong-mo
SEOUL, Oct. 23 (Yonhap) -- President Lee Myung-bak was to leave for Beijing Thursday to attend the seventh summit of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) on Friday and Saturday, along with leaders of 42 other Asian and European member states, the presidential office said.
The global financial crisis is likely to dominate the ASEM summit, a biennial
gathering of leaders of member nations and heads of the European Commission and
the ASEAN Secretariat, while climate change, energy and food security will also
be on the agenda, officials at Cheong Wa Dae said.
The ASEM summit will also provide a chance to discuss North Korean nuclear
problems, while leaders of Asian countries will have their first opportunity to
discuss the global financial crisis as a group, said the officials.
On the sidelines of the ASEM events, Lee is scheduled to hold bilateral summit
talks with his counterparts from Japan, France, Vietnam, Denmark and Poland.
"Lee will hold his first summit with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on Friday
morning for discussions on closer cooperation in fighting the global financial
crisis and other bilateral issues," a ranking Cheong Wa Dae official said.
"Host China will convene a summit of leaders of ASEAN Plus Three countries, which
include China, Japan, Korea and 10 Southeast Asian countries, over breakfast on
Friday for discussion on closer regional cooperation in stabilizing the Asian
financial markets," said the official.
On Saturday, Lee will hold a two-way summit with French President Nicolas Sarkozy
to exchange views on how to combat the world financial turmoil and accelerate
free trade deals between Korea and the European Union.
Sarkozy, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, is
reportedly pushing to use the ASEM event to press Asian nations for support of a
dramatic restructuring of the global financial system.
ASEM nations account for roughly 60 percent of the world's gross domestic product.
Lee is expected to stress the need to create new international organizations to
better cope with the financial crisis and other daunting global issues, such as
climate change and a potential energy crisis, during the summit, the officials
said.
Lee has said that the world needs a new international organization that is
capable of tackling current global financial market issues, and that the United
Nations must set up a new organization to deal with climate change.
The global financial crisis is likely to dominate the ASEM summit, a biennial
gathering of leaders of member nations and heads of the European Commission and
the ASEAN Secretariat, while climate change, energy and food security will also
be on the agenda, officials at Cheong Wa Dae said.
The ASEM summit will also provide a chance to discuss North Korean nuclear
problems, while leaders of Asian countries will have their first opportunity to
discuss the global financial crisis as a group, said the officials.
On the sidelines of the ASEM events, Lee is scheduled to hold bilateral summit
talks with his counterparts from Japan, France, Vietnam, Denmark and Poland.
"Lee will hold his first summit with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso on Friday
morning for discussions on closer cooperation in fighting the global financial
crisis and other bilateral issues," a ranking Cheong Wa Dae official said.
"Host China will convene a summit of leaders of ASEAN Plus Three countries, which
include China, Japan, Korea and 10 Southeast Asian countries, over breakfast on
Friday for discussion on closer regional cooperation in stabilizing the Asian
financial markets," said the official.
On Saturday, Lee will hold a two-way summit with French President Nicolas Sarkozy
to exchange views on how to combat the world financial turmoil and accelerate
free trade deals between Korea and the European Union.
Sarkozy, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the European Union, is
reportedly pushing to use the ASEM event to press Asian nations for support of a
dramatic restructuring of the global financial system.
ASEM nations account for roughly 60 percent of the world's gross domestic product.
Lee is expected to stress the need to create new international organizations to
better cope with the financial crisis and other daunting global issues, such as
climate change and a potential energy crisis, during the summit, the officials
said.
Lee has said that the world needs a new international organization that is
capable of tackling current global financial market issues, and that the United
Nations must set up a new organization to deal with climate change.
