ASEM Leaders Vow To Strengthen Asia-Europe Cooperation To Promote Peace And Security

From Leslean Arshad MILAN, Oct 18 (Bernama) -- European and Asian leaders attending the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit here have resolved to strengthen their cooperation to promote international peace and security in view of the growing concerns among others in relation to terrorism and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), also known as the Islamic State (IS). This was contained in the 45-point chair's statement issued at the end of the summit Friday. According to the statement, the leaders had exchanged views on ways to strengthen Asia-Europe cooperation to promote international peace, security and development. Included in their discussions were developments in Libya, Syria and Iraq as well as issues related to ISIL, terrorism, the regional security environment in Asia and security developments in Europe including Ukraine. More than 50 leaders from Asia and Europe gathered in this famous Italian city for the two-day ASEM Summit to deliberate issues integral to the summit's theme, "Responsible Partnership for Sustainable Growth and Security". Mongolia will host the 11th edition of ASEM. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak told Malaysian journalists covering the summit that he did touch on the Islamic State (IS) during the summit's intervention session. At the session, he said he told that what was being done by IS was against Islam. He said Malaysia was solidly behind other countries in taking all steps thought ncessary to combat IS. "I also mentioned that military action alone will not provide a comprehensive solution, but we must also understand and address the ideology driving ISIS," he added. -- BERNAMA