Foreign ministers and delegates from
members of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) attend the 9th Foreign
Ministers' Meeting of the ASEM in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, May 25, 2009.
The meeting opened here on Monday with the participation of foreign
ministers and delegates from 45 ASEM members. (Xinhua/Huang
Haimin) Photo
Gallery>>>
HANOI, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The 9th Foreign Ministers' Meeting (FMM9) of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) opened here on Monday with the participation of foreign ministers and delegates from 45 ASEM members in the two-day meeting.
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy Benita Ferrero Waldner and Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem delivered speeches at the opening ceremony.
Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi (C, front) attends the 9th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, May 25, 2009. (Xinhua/Huang Haimin) Photo Gallery>>>
A session to discuss cooperation to address the global financial and economic crisis was held after the opening ceremony.
Akira Ariyoshi, director of the International Monetary Fund Regional Office for Asia and Pacific, spoke at the session.
During this session, foreign ministers and head of the delegations discussed impacts of the financial and economic crisis, especially in the social dimension. Participants also talked about role of ASEM in strengthening global financial regulation and reforming international financial institutions.
Foreign ministers and delegates from members of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) attend the 9th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the ASEM in Hanoi, capital of Vietnam, May 25, 2009. (Xinhua/Huang Haimin) Photo Gallery>>>
On the sideline of the meeting, a project was launched to start stockpile of antivirals as well as personal protective equipment like masks, gloves, gowns and antiseptic solutions, to help contain A/H1N1 influenza.
The project is jointly carried out by the Asia-Europe Foundation and Japanese government. The materials will be purchased and stockpiled over the next few months and sufficient for the use of 500,000 people.
It is hoped that the stockpiled items will make it possible to help halt the spread of the flu swiftly and efficiently if a large scale outbreak occur in one of the ASEM member countries, according to a press release from the launching ceremony.
ASEM brings together 16 Asian countries, 27 European nations, the ASEAN Secretariat and the European Commission. The ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting is responsible for the overall coordination of the ASEM process.
HANOI, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The 9th Foreign Ministers'
Meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) witnessed a launching ceremony for the
Stockpile Phase of ASEM Initiative for the Rapid Containment of Pandemic
Influenza here on Monday.
The event, jointly organized by the Government of
Japan and the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF), was aimed to support the ASEM
member countries that are making efforts to counter pandemic influenza, said the
joint press release by the government of Japan and the ASEF. Full story
HANOI, May 14 (Xinhua) -- China is willing to
strengthen education cooperation with other Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) members
in a wide range of areas, said Chinese Vice Education Minister Hao Ping here on
Thursday.
Hao made the remarks in his speech at the Second
Asia-Europe Education Ministers' Meeting that opened in Hanoi on Thursday.
Full story
HANOI, May 24 (Xinhua) -- The Asia-Europe Meeting
(ASEM) Senior Officials' Meeting ended in Hanoi on Sunday in preparation for the
9th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting (FMM 9), scheduled to be held on May 25.
Senior officials from 45 ASEM members discussed and
agreed on the topics and program for the FMM 9 as well as the drafts of
documents to be adopted at this meeting. Full story
HANOI, May 25 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Foreign
Ministers' Meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) was held in Hanoi on
Monday, prior to the 9th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
The Asian foreign ministers welcomed foreign
ministers and delegations from India, Mongolia and Pakistan for their first
participation in this meeting. Full story
