REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - The Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) next Oct 16-17 in Milan, Italy, will discuss cooperation between Asian and European countries in economy and international security, according to European Union Ambassador to Indonesia Olof Skoog onThursday.

"The upcoming meeting will discuss current economic growth, challenges for members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in facing the free market era in 2015 and security issues such as dispute between Ukraine and Russia from the international law point of view," Skoog said.

Apart from economic and security issues, ASEM will also discuss the joint responsibility of Asian and European countries in preserving the environment particularly by boosting the use of environmentally friendly technologies. ASEM will see the participation of leaders from 20 Asian countries and 31 European countries including Russia.

"Russian President Vladimir Putin is scheduled to attend ASEM so there will be a chance that we will discuss the territorial dispute between Ukraine and Russia," Skoog added.

The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is an informal process of dialogue and cooperation bringing together the 27 European Union member states, two other European countries, and the European Union with 20 Asian countries and the ASEAN Secretariat. The dialog addresses political, economic and cultural issues, with the objective of strengthening the relationship between the two regions, in a spirit of mutual respect and equal partnership, according to the official website of ASEM.

The initial ASEM partnership in 1996 consisted of 15 EU member states and seven ASEAN member states including China, Japan, Korea and the European Commission. ASEM saw the first enlargement in 2004 during the 5th ASEM Summit in Hanoi (Viet Nam), where the 10 new EU Member States (Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia) and three new ASEAN countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar) became officially part of the ASEM process.

The second round of enlargement in 2008 during the 7th ASEM Summit in Beijing (China) brought in six new members: Bulgaria, India, Mongolia, Pakistan, Romania, and the ASEAN Secretariat, increasing total ASEM membership to 45 partners.

In October 2010, the 8th ASEM Summit of Heads of Government and State in Brussels (Belgium) welcomed three new member states to the ASEM process (Australia, New Zealand and Russia). This third round of enlargement increased total ASEM membership to 48 partners.

In November 2012, during the 9th ASEM Summit of Heads of Government and State in Vientiane (Lao PDR), Bangladesh, Norway, and Switzerland officially joined. This latest round brings the total ASEM membership to 51.

Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to attend ASEM. (file)

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