Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Fachir Accompanies VP Kalla at ASEM Summit

Jakarta, 10 Syawal 1437/15 July 2016 (MINA) – Deputy Foreign Minister A.M. Fachir accompanies Vice President Jusuf Kalla to attend the 11th ASEM Summit Meeting in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, on July 15-16, Antara reported.

“Mr Vice President will be accompanied by the deputy foreign minister during the visit to Ulaanbaatar. This is the 11th ASEM Summit and also the 20th anniversary of ASEM,” Nasir Arrmanatha, a spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated on Thursday.

The 11th ASEM Summit is themed “20 Years of ASEM: Partnership for the Future through Connectivity,” and the previous summit was held in 2014 in Milan.

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According to Arrmanatha, some major issues to be discussed at the 11th ASEM Summit include strengthening the pillars of ASEM economic cooperation through more concrete steps, the future of ASEM, and boosting connectivity between Asia and Europe.

“Indonesia will present its views at the meeting. Indonesia encourages connectivity in the ASEM. Indonesia realizes the need to establish connectivity, not only in terms of infrastructure but also improving cooperation in the economic sectors and increasing people-to-people contacts,” he stated.

Arrmanatha further noted that Indonesia will encourage cooperation in the economic and education sectors and promote the concept of comprehensive and inclusive connectivity in Europe and Asia.

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In addition, the spokesman affirmed that Indonesia will encourage the development of infrastructure that will improve connectivity and boost cooperation in the business, tourism, trade, and investment sectors, among others.

“Indonesia will also emphasize the importance of cooperation to spread the culture of peace and tolerance,” Arrmanatha noted.

The spokesman added that the 11th ASEM Summit will produce two documents: the Declaration of Ulaanbaatar and “chairman statement” (Statement of ASEM Summit Leaders).

The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), which was founded in 1996, now has 53 partners, which comprise 21 Asian countries, 30 European countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, and the European Union.

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ASEM is a forum for dialog aimed at creating partnerships and ensuring progress in Asia and Europe, strengthening equal dialog, and building relationships of mutual understanding between the two regions.

ASEM focuses on three pillars of cooperation: political dialog, economic cooperation, socio-cultural cooperation. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)