Mongolia

ASEM summit: More talk than make

For the past 20 years, there is the European-Asian dialogue forum of the ASEM. Regularly politicians of both continents to meet for the exchange. A lot of talk nothing has been decided. Also at the anniversary summit in Ulan Bator.

For Mongolia, it is a Premiere. For the first Time, the second-largest inland country in the world to host such a high-calibre and large-scale Events. According to the Mongolian press Agency Montsame 34 heads of state and heads of government Coming at 11. ASEM summit this Friday and Saturday confirmed. The list of delegations is even longer. So Asian countries will take part in the ten member countries of the Southeast community as well as the 28 EU countries, also representatives from Norway and Switzerland, Russia, India, Bangladesh, Australia, China, Japan, and South Korea. For Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Ulan Bator.

The Federal government wanted to discuss an “inventory of the twenty years of cooperation in the ASEM framework as well as a determination of direction for the future” a stronger merging of the continents and global challenges such as climate change, it said in a press release.

Story of the founding of

Small round on the sidelines of the ASEM summit in Milan in 2014 after the Crimea crisis

The idea to establish such a forum for the exchange and to deepen the relations between Europe and Asia, was founded in 1994 during the visit of the Singaporean Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong in France. His advance fell in with the French counterpart Èdouard Balladur on fertile ground. The first deliberations took place already two years later in Thailand. Now 51 countries, as well as the EU and ASEAN the Forum. Every two years a summit is held, most recently in October 2014 in Milan.

Opportunity for Four-eyes talks

The summit meetings are intended to discuss in an informal setting on various topics – the topics range from politics and economy, culture and education to the environment. Due to the different interests of the member States, common positions, however, are hardly possible. And concrete decisions will not be taken. Emblematic of this: For the closing press conference on Saturday just 20 minutes.

The political Agenda is often determined by the current message location and the numerous bilateral talks on the sidelines of the meeting. The Ukraine crisis dominated, for example, the discussions at the Milan summit in 2014. The Europeans took advantage of the opportunity to, according to the international law the controversial Russian annexation of the black sea Peninsula to include Crimea in direct talks with Russian President Putin.

Chinese radar installation on Spratly Islands

The crux of the South China sea – also in Mongolia?

This year’s Meeting will probably be from a current subject of Conflict dominates. The dispute between China and the Philippines to the South China sea. On Tuesday the arbitration court had rejected in The Hague, all of the ownership claims of China. There is no legal basis to ensure that China could claim historic rights in the disputed waters, stated the judge. What are the consequences of this ruling will have in practice, however, is unclear. As a mechanism to implement it.

Also the Minister of foreign Affairs of the Philippines, Perfecto Yasay Jr., will attend Meetings at the ASEM. He called on China, the recent decision of the Hague arbitration court to respect. Also, Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stressed before his departure to Mongolia “the importance of the rule of law and a peaceful solution”. Japan argues, for its part, also with China – in this case, territorial claims in the East China sea. There, too, China is not yet ready for a dialogue, rejects any discussion.

Japan’s head of government, the media hopes according to reports, at a bilateral meeting with China’s Prime Minister Li Keqiang. However, political relations between Beijing and Tokyo are not cooled down in recent times due to the island dispute, and the nationalistic aspirations of the Japanese Prime Minister.

And a little on the edge…

National Holiday Nadaam

Also outside the official programme, will present the Mongolian host of its best and ensure that leaders take at least a small impression of the country and its people home. So all of the guests to the traditional Nadaam are invited. Nadaam is the national holiday of Mongolia, and translates as competition. The Festival has three disciplines: archery, wrestling and horse racing. Sports to make friends. So, too, Nadaam is to contribute to a better understanding between Asia and Europe.