ASEM FOREIGN MINISTERS DISCUSS ECONOMIC CRISIS AT HANOI MEETING

From D. Arul Rajoo

HANOI, May 26 (Bernama) -- The ninth meeting of foreign ministers of the
Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) opened in Hanoi Monday, with the two sides focusing
on the global economic crisis that has led to recession in many of their
economies.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung of Vietnam, who opened the meeting, said ASEM
should put forth concrete and practical actions instead of simply being a forum
for the exchange of views.

He said ASEM should deliberate not only on the need to work more closely in
the current international situation but also to build up a new and more
sustained economic and financial system to assist international efforts in
reviving the world economy and addressing global issues. Malaysian Foreign
Minister Anifah Aman is attending the meeting.

According to Tan Dung, ASEM represented 58 per cent of the world population,
50 per cent of global GDP and 60 per cent of global trade, while three of the
five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and 10 member
countries of the Group of Twenty (G20) were ASEM members.

Citing Vietnam, he said the country was suffering from the impact of the
global crisis but, through strong measures, it managed to keep inflation under
control and sustain growth at 6.2 per cent in 2008 and 3.1 per cent in the first
quarter of 2009.

"In 2009, economic growth is expected to be around five per cent and higher
in the following years," said the premier, whose country achieved more than
eight per cent growth in the past few years and was seen as the fastest-growing
economy in the region.

Speaking on behalf of Asia, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign
Minister Hor Namhong touched on democracy and respect for human rights in the
region, saying that Asean had established an Asean human rights body under its
six-month old Asean Charter.

Hor said he believed that the human rights body would help to promote and
protect human rights as stipulated in the charter.

"But we need to move forward step by step in order to realise the goal of
the Asean Charter by all member states," he said.

Some of the European countries are expected to touch on the political
situation and democracy in Myanmar.

Hor also said that Asian members regretted today's launch of nuclear tests
by North Korea which he added would make the resumption of the Six-Party Talks
more complicated.
-- BERNAMA