The 12th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM12) was held on 18-19 October 2018 in Brussels, Belgium, hosted by the European Union and chaired by the President of the European Council, Donald Tusk. The meeting was attended by the Heads of State and Government, or their high-level representatives, of 51 Asian and European countries, the President of the European Commission and the Secretary-General of ASEAN.[…]
Leaders stressed that recent international developments have boosted the relevance of ASEM as a building block for effective multilateralism and the rules-based international order anchored in international law and with the United Nations at its core. […]
They highlighted the vital need of maintaining an open world economy and upholding the rules-based multilateral trading system, with the World Trade Organization at its core. Leaders stressed their commitment to comply with WTO rules, cooperating on rendering its dispute settlement system more effective, and redoubling on-going efforts aimed at WTO reform. […)
Leaders underlined their commitment to uphold the global non-proliferation regime and to ensure the full implementation of the obligations derived from all relevant international instruments and the UN Security Council Resolutions, as well as the importance of nuclear safety.[…]
With regard to Iran, Leaders reiterated their collective support for diplomatic dialogue and the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action endorsed by the UN Security Council in Resolution 2231 which is working and delivering on its goal, namely to ensure the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme. Leaders recognised that, alongside full and effective implementation by Iran of its nuclear related commitments, the lifting of sanctions including the consequences arising from it constitutes an essential part of the JCPOA. Preserving the nuclear deal with Iran is a matter of respecting international agreements, and promoting international security, peace and stability. Läs deklarationen