The European Parliament urged the decision-making body of the EU and member countries of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) on Wednesday to invite Taiwan to attend an upcoming ASEM summit.
The parliament made the call in a resolution adopted after its members were briefed by Elmar Brok on the progress of the implementation of the parliament's mutual diplomacy and security policies. Brok is a member of the parliament's Committee of Foreign Relations, Human Rights, Mutual Security and Defense.
The resolution states that it is very important to establish relations between the parliament and ASEAN in a bid to prevent regional conflicts, promote political stabilization, human rights and economic and cultural cooperation.
It goes on to state that the parliament should not ignore the democracy that exists in Taiwan and urged the European Commission and ASEM member countries to invite Taiwan to take part in the fourth ASEM summit scheduled to be held in Copenhagen next year.
The ASEM is an unofficial forum grouping the EU and Asian countries like Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, South Korea, Japan, China and Malaysia.
It holds a summit every other year, with venues selected in turn among Asian and European cities.
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