Asian and European ICT ministers outlined their cooperation at a meeting in Hanoi

Press release 500/2006
November 30, 2006

Asian and European ministers and civil servants responsible for information and communications technology outlined their future cooperation at a meeting held in Hanoi, Vietnam on 30 November. This was the first ICT ministerial meeting within the ASEM process between Asia and Europe. At the meeting, Finland was represented by Professor Pekka Tarjanne, the former Secretary-General of the International Telecommunication Union, an organization within the United Nations system.

The theme of the meeting was the application of ICT in human resources development and capacity building.

The meeting charted the opportunities for developing cooperation in the following fields: ICT policy and regulation issues, resources of ICT enterprises, cooperation between research and education institutes, and utilization of ICT applications at grassroots level.

Within the ASEM process, Asia and Europe engage in broad cooperation in economic, political, cultural and social issues. This cooperation, conducted in various fields and at various levels, culminates in ASEM Summit meetings held every second year. The latest meeting was arranged in Helsinki on 10 and 11 September 2006, and the next Summit meeting will be held in China in 2008.

Additional information: Hanna Lehtinen, Head of the ASEM 6 Secretariat, tel. +358 9 1605 6358, and First Secretary Leena Liira tel. +358 40 7311 464, Ministry for Foreign Affairs and http://www.asemictmin.vnn.vn.