Brussels, 14/10/2014 (Agence Europe) - At the end of the week 16-17 October, the economic heart of Italy, Milan, will host the 10th Asia-Europe summit for dialogue (ASEM). Its central theme can be summed up in the heading, “Responsible Partnership for Sustainable Growth and Security”.
The heads of state and governments from more than 50 countries (ASEM currently consists of 49 member countries, in addition to the ASEAN Secretariat and the Commission) are expected to attend, together with the Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who is hosting the event as acting president of the Council of the EU, the President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, who will chair the summit and the President of the Commission, José Manuel Barroso. Chinese Prime Minister, Li Keqiang, his Japanese counterpart, Shinzo Abe, South Korean President, Park Geun-hye, and the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, are also expected to attend.
The summit will begin on Thursday afternoon with an opening ceremony that will involve ASEM leaders ratifying the entry into the organisation of two new members, Croatia and Kazakhstan. A session will follow with representatives from the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership (ASEP), Asia-Europe People's Forum (AEPF) and Asia-Europe Business Forum (AEBF).
The first plenary session will focus on promoting financial and economic cooperation and the second session will tackle challenges such as climate change, Millennium Development Goals, human rights, disaster management and energy security. The first day of the summit will end with an official dinner invitation from the President of Italy, Giorgio Napolitano.
On Friday morning, ASEM leaders will discuss in a more informal manner (retreat session) under the heading “Enhancing Dialogue and Cooperation between Europe and Asia and Future direction of ASEM”. This will focus on regional and international security related challenges such as piracy and maritime security. The summit will end with an official ceremony and final declaration by President Van Rompuy. This declaration will include a list of ASEM initiatives and the 2014-2016 work programme.
ASEM was set up in 1996 at the Bangkok Summit and is an international forum that brings together the Commission and 28 EU member states, Norway and Switzerland, in addition to members of the ASEAN zone (Brunei, Burma/Myanmar, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam) as well as its secretariat, China, Japan and South Korea, Mongolia, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Australia, New Zealand and Russia. (EH)