Brussels, 20/10/2009 (Agence Europe) - The EU and its Asian partners in the Asia-Europe Dialogue group ASEM officially marked the start of cooperation in transport matters at the first meeting of ASEM transport ministers in Vilnius, Lithuania, on Monday 19 and Tuesday 20 October, upon invitation from the Lithuanian government. Poland, Sweden, Germany, Vietnam, China and the European Commission jointly organised the event, which brought together delegations from 33 delegations from ASEM countries, the European Commission and representatives of the secretariat of the Association of South-East Asian Countries (ASEAN). The aim of the meeting - two days ahead of a meeting organised by the European Commission in Naples, Italy, on the trans-European transport network (TEN-T, 21-22 October) to discuss Africa - is to kickstart the development of ties between the EU and Asia. In his opening speech, Lithuanian transport minister Eligijus Masiulis said that ASEM countries had different transport systems, different options and possibly even different ambitions, but at the first meeting of ASEM transport ministers, the two sides should try to reach a common vision and be prepared to take coordinated action to strengthen trade ties between Europe and Asia. On Monday 19 October, ahead of the meeting, Lithuania signed a raft of deals and joint statements with Poland on cooperation on sea and air search and rescue (SAR): the deal, which needs a technical agreement before it can be implemented, covers exchange of information between search and rescue teams in the two countries about dangers and threats to human life, accidents at sea and lost or found individuals. The agreement foresees mutual aid upon request. The two countries also plan to carry out common training, cross-border inspections of communication systems, visits of experts and exchange of information and experience; - China and Belarus on cooperation to develop an East-West transport corridor to facilitate road freight transport between Europe and Asia. At this stage, a joint statement by the three countries' transport ministers stresses the need to develop transport infrastructure between the two continents and take joint measures to boost transport policy; - Poland, Latvia, Estonia and Finland on the rail route Rail Baltica, one of the thirty TEN-T priority projects. The joint statement signed by the countries in question on Monday confirmed that the countries are interested in completing the project on time and developing a rail network capable of carrying trains travelling at 120 km/hr by 2013. An Asia Europe Transport Development Forum was held alongside the ministers' meeting. ASEM transport ministers decided to meet once every two years. The next meeting will be held in Asia in 2011. (A.By./transl.fl)