Pakistan has been formally admitted as a member of the Asia Europe Meeting following endorsement for its membership by Association of the Southeast Asian Nations, China, Japan [Images] and Republic of Korea.''Pakistan's admission to ASEM is an acknowledgement of the important role Pakistan is playing in the international arena,'' Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Tasneem Aslam said in a statement in Islamabad on Tuesday.
She said membership was also a manifest recognition by the international community of Pakistan's vital geo-strategic position and its ability to contribute towards ASEM process.
Aslam declared that her country was ready and committed to play a most useful role in furthering the ASEM.
The announcement to admit Pakistan in ASEM was made at Helsinki on Monday following the sixth Summit of the organisation.
''The Government of Pakistan is grateful to the support extended by all the ASEM members,'' the spokeswoman said.
The Asia-Europe Meeting is an informal process of dialogue and cooperation initiated in 1996. Twenty-five EU Member States, the European Commission and thirteen Asian countries (Brunei, Myanmar, China, Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Laos, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam) participate in the process.
Dialogue under ASEM addresses political, economic and cultural issues in order to strengthen the relationship between the two regions.
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