Sultanate's Role In International Arena Lauded
By Azlan Othman in Helsinki

Finland - His Majesty the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday joined leaders of 38 Asian and European countries and the President of the European Commission, attending the ASEM 6 Summit in Finland to observe a moment of silence to remember the 9/11 victims on the fifth anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the United States before continuing their talks in four working sessions at the Helsinki Fair Centre.

The leaders later ended the two-day summit with calls for greater regional cooperation, action on combating global warming, including speeding up UN negotiations on climate change after the 2012 expiration of the current Kyoto Protocol, revival of the crippled Doha trade talks while exploring prospects for forging bilateral Asia-Europe freetrade pacts, and hailing the close cooperation in Aceh monitoring mission.

Prior to closed-door meetings, His Majesty held a meeting with Finland's Prime Minister, Matti Vanhanen at the office of the Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, late Sunday afternoon, His Majesty held bilateral talks with Mrs TarjaHarlonen, President of Finland at Mantyniemi Residence in Helsinki.

At the meeting, His Majesty thanked the president for the hospitality accorded to His Majesty and his delegation and congratulated the president for hosting this year's ASEM Summit meeting.

His Majesty and President Halonen were pleased to note the excellent relations that exist between Brunei and Finland.

During the meeting, both leaders also discussed other bilateral issues particularly efforts to enhance relations between Brunei and Finland in areas such as education and tourism.

The president expressed gratitude to His Majesty's government on its role in the international arena, especially in its readiness to contribute to the peacekeeping efforts in Lebanon.

Also present at the talks were Pehin Dato Awg Hj Yahya, Minister of Energy in the Prime Minister's Office; Pehin Dato Lim Jock Seng, Second Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade; and Datin Tan Bee Yong, non-resident Ambassador of Brunei to Finland.

"In the wake of globalisation and ever-growing global interdependence, ASEM has become the engine for stronger relations between our two regions in all fields," said the Finnish Prime Minister whose country currently holds the EU presidency.

After months of squabbling over the issue, Asian and European leaders appeared to close ranks over chiding Myanmar's military rulers.

"Leaders expressed deep concern on the lack of tangible progress ... in (Myanmar)... and called for a transition via an inclusive process to a democratic government," said a final summit statement approved by all 38 countries taking part.

The summit also called for the early lifting of restrictions on Myanmar's political parties and the immediate release of political prisoners.

Asia and Europe also joined forces to urge a peaceful resolution to the nuclear crisis in Iran and North Korea.

But despite converging views on key global hotspots, the summit highlighted Europe's ambivalent response to the rising power of China.

A statement issued by EU leaders and Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao spotlighted the determination of both sides to build a strategic partnership.

But Wen's calls for the EU to lift its arms embargo, slapped on Beijing following the bloody 1989 crackdown on pro-democracy Chinese protesters, fell on deaf ears.

In a key decision on expanding Europe's ties with Asian countries, ASEM leaders agreed to take in as members India, Pakistan and Mongolia plus the secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). -- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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