POLICYMAKERS FROM EUROPE AND ASIA TO DISCUSS REGIONAL STRATEGIES

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 16 (Bernama) -- Key policymakers from Europe and Asia will
converge here from this Sunday to discuss Asian strategies and the region's
potential for growth under the challenging global economic environment.

The joint Asia-Europe Meeting or ASEM will be held from Oct 18 to Oct 20,
said a joint press release from Bank Negara Malaysia, the European Commission
and the Asian Development Bank.

"The conference will provide participants with the opportunities to discuss
key issues affecting the Asian region and the European Union as they emerge from
the worst global financial and economic crisis since the Great Depression," they
said.

"The conference will assess Asia's growth strategies amidst the changing
global economic and financial landscape. This will include leveraging on global
and regional opportunities and addressing current weaknesses and future risks,"
they added.

Among others, the role and regional policies will also be discussed,
particularly in the context of promoting financial innovation and fostering
globalisation and the challenges that these posed for countries in Asia, the
organisers said.

"This conference will provide inputs into the agenda for the next ASEM
finance ministers meeting in Spain on April 16 and 17, 2010," they said.

Participants at the conference comprise officials from the finance and
economic ministries and central banks from 43 ASEM countries, as well as
academicians, business leaders and media representatives from both domestic and
international communities.

The conference will be officiated by the Crown Prince of Perak state, Raja
Dr Nazrin Shah, on Oct 19 while Prime Minister Najib Razak will deliver a
special address on Oct 20.

Asian Development Bank's chief economist and head of office of regional
economic integration, Dr Jong-Wha Lee, and Bank Negara's (Malaysia's central
bank) governor Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz are among the speakers.

Established in 1996, ASEM is a platform for an inter-regional forum for
dialogue and cooperation, bringing together the 27 EU member states, European
Commission, 16 Asian countries and Asean secretariat.
-- BERNAMA