On Thursday and Friday, 5 and 6 November, Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias will participate in the 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which is taking place in Luxembourg, the current holder of the Presidency of the Council of the EU.
At this year’s ASEM Ministerial, which is a forum for dialogue among 51 states and regional organizations of Europe and Asia, the participants will have the opportunity to exchange views on issues of global interest, including climate change, sustainable development, and the highlighting of SMEs’ contribution to growth and job creation.
Mr. Kotzias’ first intervention will take place on Thursday, at the session on cooperation and “connectivity” between Europe and Asia, putting emphasis on the future prospects and role of ASEM, given that it covers 62.5% of the global population, produces 57% of global GDP, and is also the only dialogue platform that includes both developed countries and the developing countries of the Asia region. On Friday, Mr. Kotzias will address a limited configuration meeting of Foreign Ministers on the issue of the refugee/migration crisis and its causes, including in light of the recent Athens International Conference on “Religious and Cultural Pluralism and Peaceful Coexistence in the Middle East.”
The agenda also includes regional security issues and preparation for the ASEM Summit Meeting, which will take place next year, in Mongolia. Finally, the meeting will look at improvement of cross-border cooperation and transport networks, promotion of mutual trade transactions and investments, strengthening of contacts with Civil Society, and the importance of technology and innovation in confronting environmental risks.
November 3, 2015