Brussels, 19/09/2002 (Agence Europe) - The Heads of State and Government of the 25 European and Asian countries of the ASEM process will hold their 4th summit meeting in Copenhagen from 22 to 24
September, under the presidency of Danish Prime Minister Anders Rogh Rasmussen and in the presence of European Commission President Romano Prodi. The main topic of this biannual session that comes one year following the events of 11 September 2001, will obviously be the problem of terrorism (including its causes) and the case of Iraq. The reconciliation process on the Korean Peninsula, economic recovery in South East Asia, migration, the promotion of trade between the two regions and the Development Round of the World trade Organisation are also on the Summit's menu, which also, for the first time, integrates a "dialogue between cultures and civilisations", question of turning the back on the "shock" of the same name.
The Summit will begin Sunday afternoon with a one hour meeting between the Asian leaders. The following day and the next, the Heads of State and Government will meet behind closed doors to debate: - in the framework of the political dialogue, the situation in the world post-11 September and challenges that have emerged since then to security (including military aspects, but not only, the fight against terrorism, and international orgnised crime); - of economic co-operation, more particularly, regional priorities concerning economic and financial matters (economic, financial and monetary integration as a factor for growth, the potential contribution of the WTO Cycle and sustainable development etc.); social, cultural and educational issues, particularly the urgent necessity of promoting mutual comprehension, reducing poverty and increasing employability by stressing the development of human resources and student exchanges. More informally, on Monday, at lunch, European and Asian leaders will debate the project for making ASEM an inter-cultural bridging point and forum for dialogue between civilisations, allowing for the trap of a division occurring in the international community to be avoided.