RAJYA SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2813
TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.08.2016
OUTCOME OF ELEVENTH ASIA-EUROPE (ASEM) MEETING
2813. PROF. M.V. RAJEEV GOWDA:
Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the outcome of the Eleventh Asia-Europe (ASEM) Meeting for India;
(b) the tangible areas of cooperation that were identified with ASEM partners; and
(c) whether Government has any specific plans for promoting ASEM partnership in tackling problems of climate change and terrorism, if so, the details thereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
(SHRI M. J. AKBAR)
(a) India participated successfully in the 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on July 15-16, 2016, marking the 20th anniversary of ASEM. Hon'ble Vice President, Shri Hamid Ali Ansari, who led the India delegation, effectively put
forth India's position that ASEM should work towards enhancing connectivity in all its dimensions, notably institutional, digital, economic and socio-cultural, as an enabler for development and greater people-to-people exchanges. He made a strong demarche
on the need to isolate sponsors and financiers of terror and urged the Leaders to go beyond condemnation to practical action. Leaders supported his call for strengthening the international legal regime against terrorism, notably through substantive progress
in the ongoing negotiations on the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism at the UN, which was principally mooted by India in 1996. Leaders also welcomed the convening of the 6th Heart of Asia/Istanbul Process Ministerial Meeting on Afghanistan
in New Delhi in 2016. India's initiative of the International Solar Alliance of 122 solar rich countries was welcomed by Leaders as a significant measure in the field of climate change. Leaders also welcomed India's active role in shaping the discourse on
the working methods of ASEM and the focus on tangible areas of cooperation.
(b) At India's initiative, the 20th tangible area of cooperation on 'youth exchanges' was agreed by Members to mark 20 years of ASEM.
(c) Leaders deliberate at ASEM on a range of issues of regional and international interest and concern, including terrorism and climate change, in a manner that complements ongoing global efforts to tackle these issues. At the 11th ASEM Summit, Leaders called
for timely entry into force of the Paris Agreement, and committed to work together while being guided by the principles of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, including the priniciple of common but differentiated repsonsibilties. Leaders
also emphasized the need for a comprehensive approach in countering terrorism and in this regard, expressed support for strengthening the international legal regime against terrorism. They further endorsed a Special Statement on International Terrorism that
strongly and unequivocally condemned terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and called for bringing to justice those responsible for the terrorist attacks.
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