NEW DELHI, Oct 11:
India is going to the 10th Asia Europe Meeting(ASEM), to be held in Italy, with specific proposals relating to connectivity through tourism, through people to people contacts, through education and business. The Summit, at which India will be represented by Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh, is taking place in the Italian city of Milan on October 15 and 17. ‘Responsible Partnership for Sustainable Growth and Security’ is the theme of the summit this year. The areas of focus would be financial and economic cooperation through enhanced Europe and Asia connectivity, as well as Europe-Asia partnership in addressing global matters in an interconnected world. ASEM was set up in 1996 and India joined as a member in 2007. The last Foreign Ministers meeting of ASEM was held in the neighbouring Gurgaon last year.
The summit is a biennial one which is held once in two years. In the Milan Summit, India would be emphasising that connectivity should not be limited merely to geographical connectivity, but should have connectivity of institutions, people-to-people ties and systems so that Asia and Europe work as a bridge with each other.
“We intend to make specific proposals on each of these at the summit and will follow it up in the next meeting that usually is one year later at the Foreign Ministers’ level,” the Ministry of External Affairs said here. (UNI)
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