India offers to host ASEM Foreign Ministers Meet in 2013

Godollo (Hungary), June 7 (ANI): Stating that India has been an active participant of Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) over the last five years, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna today announced his country's offer to host the next ASEM Foreign Ministers' meeting in 2013.

"India has been an active participant of ASEM through the last almost 5 years. It, therefore, gives me great pleasure in announcing India's offer to host the next meeting of the ASEM Foreign Ministers in 2013," said Krishna.

The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) was officially established in 1996 at the first summit in Bangkok.

ASEM is an interregional forum, which consists of the European Commission, the twenty-seven members of the European Union (EU), the thirteen members of the ASEAN Plus.

ASEM currently has 48 partners: 46 countries and 2 international organizations.

The partners are Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China PR, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Mongolia, Myanmar, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Pakistan, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Thailand, the United Kingdom, Vietnam, European Commission and ASEAN Secretariat.

The main components of the ASEM process, which has so far been loosely organized, include: political dialogue, security and the economy, education and culture. (ANI)