Belgium Backs Indias Entry Into Asem

Belgium has fully supported Indias desire to be included in the dialogue between the European Union (EU) and the Asian region countries and said New Delhi must form part of any Asian organisation.

Belgian foreign minister Erik Derycke told reporters at a joint press conference here yesterday after talks with external affairs minister IK Gujral, that he had backed Indias inclusion in the next Asia Europe meeting (Asem) summit to be held in London in 1998 at the just-concluded meeting of the Asem foreign ministers in Singapore.

At present, Asem comprises 10 Asian countries, China, South Korea and Japan and seven members of the Asean group and 15 European countries, besides the vice-presidents of the European Commission.

Both India and Pakistan have been lobbying hard to get into the club and the admission issue is to be decided through consensus among the existing members.

Britain, Germany and several other European countries too have supported the Indian wish to participate in the dialogue in the Asem. The Belgian foreign ministers meeting with Gujral covered a wide range of issues of bilateral and mutual concern.

These included Nato expansion, nuclear disarmament, Afghanistan, democracy, human rights, the situation in Europe and the Indian efforts to improve relations with all its neighbours, particularly Pakistan.