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disruptions, financial and fiscal distortions, social and gender inequalities, human rights abuse,

organised crime, natural disasters and other humanitarian crisis, technological gap and other critical

issues; ASEP is firmly convinced that those challenges are inter-connected and that can be effectively

addressed only though defining common interest between Asia and Europe in global fora and in

implementing concerted actions.

7. ASEP 10 expresses its concern with recent developments in the international community which could

undermine an effective global cooperation and underlines the importance of reinforcing, and not

weakening, multilateral cooperation through different international fora and international agreements -

in trade, climate change, security, ocean governance, trafficking of people and of narcotics, and other

key sectors; ASEP 10 believes that both Asia and Europe, representing more about 60% of world

population and world GDP, must re-affirm the common objective of promoting multilateralism as the

most effective and fair methodology in addressing common issues.

Developing the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership

8. ASEP 10 emphasises that Asia and Europe are by many aspects and certainly in a strict geographic

concept, part of a same area; peoples movements, cultural identities and origins, trades, political

relations, have been shaping a common ground for centuries; the Euro-Asian dimension is not just a

rhetoric formula but is a human landscape facing the same inter-dependent destiny.

9. ASEP 10 confirms the role of ASEM in providing a unique platform bridging Europe and Asia and

shaping a partnership which is of strategic importance in time of disruption of global governance and of

challenges to multilateralism mechanism.

10. ASEP 10 recalls that ASEM partnership is fully based on the United Nations Declaration on Human

Rights and the United Nations Charter and the United Nations on Human Rights as well as respect for

the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity, self-determination of peoples, non-interference in

internal affairs and non-use of force or threat of force.

11. ASEP 10 believes that the ASEM partnership is complementary and part of the joint efforts in reinforcing

multilateral cooperation at UN, WTO and other multilateral levels.

12. ASEP 10 welcomes the deepening of activities, both horizontal and sectorial of the ASEM partnership,

and encourages further cooperation between the regions in order to achieve dialogue aimed to

reinforced political, economic and socio-cultural cooperation.

13. ASEP 10 also stresses that the ASEM partnership can be successful only if the citizens’ concerns are

fully taken into account in its agenda; this requires a structural dialogue between the executive level

and the parliamentary dimension, which needs to fully play its scrutiny role.

14. ASEP 10 also encourages the role of civil society organisations, business associations, trade unions

and media in forging better understanding and pluralism and in providing economic and human

development of Asian and European societies. ASEP 10 expresses its concern over efforts to censor

media.

15. ASEP 10 calls for the establishment of mechanism empowering its members to have more regular

contacts, in order to provide a better parliamentarian follow-up of ASEM related activities. Climate

changes and environmental challenges

16. ASEP 10 reminds that science has provided early warnings about the consequences of climate change

on human vulnerabilities and on the overall future of the planet, yet policies have only been able to

partially address the issue; therefore ASEP 10 recalls that climate change is one of the most important

challenges for mankind and that all states and players worldwide need to do their utmost to fight it;

ASEP 10 calls upon all countries to fully implement the Paris Agreement including the principles of

common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities.

17. ASEP 10 stresses that, according to the WHO, UNFCC as part of JLG, SDGs a part of UN knowledge,

climate change affects the social and environmental determinants of health - clean air, safe drinking

water, sufficient food and secure shelter - and that between 2030 and 2050, 250 000 additional deaths

per year, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhoea and heat stress, are expected with extreme high air

temperatures contributing directly to deaths from cardiovascular and respiratory disease.