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 Thirteen
new members of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) took the oath at
an enlargement ceremony in Ha Noi on Thursday in the presence
of leaders and representatives from the 26 older member
countries.
The new
members are Cambodia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia,
Hungary, Laos, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Myanmar, Poland,
Slovakia and Slovenia, bringing the ASEM membership to 39.
Addressing
the ceremony, Prime Minister Phan Van Khai of Viet Nam said "
It is our expectation and conviction that the new members will
make active and concrete contributions to our common endeavour
of deepening and expanding the process, of revitalising and
substantiating the Asia-Europe partnership as well as
heightening ASEM's role and position in the world arena."
He also said
" We also express our resolve to assist the new members to
rapidly integrate into the process of ASEM dialogue and
cooperation. Together, we will forge a comprehensive
Asia-Europe partnership in the 21st century on the basis of
mutual understanding, respect, equality and mutual benefit."
He added that
ASEM enlargement proves the success and attractiveness of the
ASEM process. An enlarged ASEM with 39 members accounting for
nearly 40 percent of the world population and 50 percent of
the GDP of the world, is becoming a political-economic entity
playing a very important role for peace, security and
development in the world.
After the new
members' national flags were hoisted, the Prime Ministers of
Cambodia and Estonia took the floor.
Cambodian
Prime Minister Hun Sen said that they were convinced that ASEM
enlargement will usher in a new skyline for long-term
relations between the two continents. He said the new member
countries were able to add new values to the ASEM process to
help narrow the geographic gap between Asia and Europe, thus
boosting regional integration and inter-regional cooperation.
For his part,
Estonian Prime Minister Juhan Parts said the new member
countries would work hard to fulfil the common goal for closer
economic ties in Asia and boost economic reform in the
European Union.--Enditem
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