Philippines typhoon casts dampener over ASEM meet

The 11th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) was Monday overshadowed by the devastating typhoon that ripped through the Philippines last week. Members urged that assistance be provided to victims of the typhoon.

"Calls for assistance to victims of Typhoon Haiyan in Philippines resonated in the ASEM ministerial meet," said a spokesperson of the external affairs ministry.

External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said in his opening remarks that all the participating countries are concerned over the situation in the Philippines in the wake of the disaster.

Typhoon Haiyan barrelled through central Philippines - an ASEM member - last weekend, killing an estimated 10,000 people and destroying entire cities, towns and villages.

Foreign ministers of 36 Asian and European countries, deputy foreign ministers of 12 countries and two vice ministers are participating in ASEM - a gathering of 49 countries and two international organisations, the European Commission and the ASEAN Secretariat.