Vietnam will host the fifth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) summit in Hanoi in the second half of 2004.

This was agreed upon at the fourth meeting of foreign ministers and senior officials from the European Union (EU), the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Japan, China and the Republic of Korea.

The ASEM meeting was held in Madrid, Spain on June 6 and 7 to prepare for the fourth ASEM leaders' summit to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark from September 22-24. This is the fourth meeting to be held since the 15 EU members and 10 Southeast Asian nations launched their informal dialogue process six years ago to strengthen their political, economic and cultural co-operation.

Vietnam was represented at the meeting by Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien who, in his capacity as the Asian co-ordinator in the ASEM, co-presided over the meeting of the foreign ministers of Asian countries.

Addressing the debate on globalisation and economic policies, Foreign Minister Nien said that Vietnam, in its capacity as the Asian co-ordinator in the ASEM and the host of the fifth ASEM summit in late 2004, has always attached importance to the process of Asia-Europe co-operation and will closely co-operate with other ASEM members in seizing opportunities and overcoming negative impacts of the process of globalisation.

Foreign Minister Nien reaffirmed Vietnam's stance to support other countries wishing to partake in the ASEM process for closer co-operation between the two continents in the 21^st century.

He praised ASEM member countries' efforts in coping with the challenges of globalisation, their joint efforts against terrorism, their dialogue on environment and on narrowing the gap in digital technology.

"To promote the ASEM process in the new situation, ASEM should further co-operate to settle such urgent issues as the development gap, poverty reduction, and human resources development," the Vietnamese foreign minister told his counterparts at the opening ceremony of the fourth ASEM ministerial meeting.

He stressed that, with joint efforts from both Asia and Europe, the ASEM process would be further developed, becoming exemplary in continental co-operation and an important force in building a new political and economic order in the world.

While in Madrid for the meeting of ASEM foreign ministers, Mr Nien had bilateral talks with the head delegates of China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, the UK, and the EC Commissioner for External Relations. They discussed ways to boost bilateral co-operation and exchanged views on a number international and regional issues of mutual concern. (VNA)

However, it was also pointed out that the quality of short-term courses should be improved and the training must be based on the real need of the market.