HELSINKI: The 38 member countries of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) should make joint efforts to make the two continents more influential in addressing major global issues, Premier Wen Jiabao said yesterday at the sixth ASEM Summit.

(Full Coverage on Premier Wen's Visit to Asia, Europe )  (Full Text of Wen's Speech )

From left: French President Jacques Chirac, Premier Wen Jiabao, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen and EU Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso at the meeting yesterday. [AFP]

The organization, described by Wen as "a strategic platform for Asia and Europe to strengthen co-ordination and pursue common development," should further economic partnership, promote the development of culture, strengthen institutional building and maintain ASEM's openness.

The leaders of the Asian and European countries and representatives of the European Commission are gathered for the two-day ASEM 6 Summit, which celebrates its 10th anniversary, in the capital of Finland.

Wen delivered a speech at the plenary meeting entitled "Deepening Asia-Europe Co-operation to Jointly Meet Challenges" during which he put forward eight proposals to consolidate the partnership between the two continents:

Enhancing political dialogue and better responding to security threats. He asked all members to increase consultation on multilateral mechanisms and support the leading role of the United Nations in international affairs, strengthen co-ordination on international and regional issues and intensify efforts in resolving the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, the Iranian nuclear standoff, the Middle East crisis and other regional issues.

It is also necessary for all members to intensify co-operation in fighting terrorism and non-proliferation, and combating transnational crime to maintain global peace and security.

Deepening cultural exchanges to promote harmonious co-existence.

Intensifying financial co-operation to promote balanced economic development.

Expanding dialogue and co-operation to ensure energy security.

Supporting the multilateral trading system for common development. A healthy and stable multilateral trading system is critical to ensure the economic prosperity of all countries, developing countries in particular. The suspension of the Doha Round is in no one's interests.

Encouraging business partnerships and expanding channels of co-operation.

Addressing non-traditional security issues and effectively preventing and controlling avian influenza.

Narrowing the urban-rural gap to realize balanced economic development.

Wen said that China, which hosts the biennial ASEM in Beijing in 2008, is committed to making the international political and economic order fairer and more equitable.

"We honour in good faith our international obligations and are assuming greater responsibility in the United Nations, the WTO and other multilateral institutions."

At the meeting, Asian leaders invited India, Mongolia and Pakistan to join the future gatherings of ASEM, the only forum dedicated to dialogue between Europe and Asia.

With more partners in their continent, Asian nations should increase unity and have a better dialogue with European counterparts, said Wen.

China supports a leading role for the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations in pushing co-operation, he added.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said the theme of the summit Global Challenges - Joint Responses "could not be more appropriate."

Feng Zhongping, director of the Institute of European Studies at the Chinese Institute of Contemporary International Relations, said that ASEM provides a "key platform" for the two continents to communicate and exchange their views.

"Although some complain that the meetings have been slow in producing concrete results, the forum has great vitality," Feng told China Daily.

ASEM has also pushed for regional integration in Asia, which is favoured by China, he said.

On the agenda for leaders at the two-day meeting are such topics as strengthening multilateralism, handling security threats, globalization and competitiveness, sustainable development, and intercultural and interfaith dialogue.

Bilateral meetings

Wen yesterday met South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan-dung on the sidelines of the summit.

He and Roh devoted much of their time discussing the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula. They agreed that China and South Korea should urge relevant parties to show calm and restraint in handling the issue and make efforts to resume the Six-Party Talks in an early date.

During his meeting with Nguyen, Wen said that China and Viet Nam should complete the demarcation of land boundaries by 2008 and discuss the joint development of resources in the South China Sea.

(China Daily 09/11/2006 page1)