ISLAMABAD, Sept 12: The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) has decided to offer its membership to Pakistan and India, providing them another forum to discuss their political issues including Kashmir informally.

“We are confident that all kinds of difficult political issues and questions between India and Pakistan could be discussed in the forum informally”, said Ms Irmeli Mustonen, Finland Ambassador to Pakistan.

Speaking at a news conference along with Mr Balthasar Benz, Deputy Head of Mission of the European Union (EU) in Islamabad and Mr Iftikhar Director General, Asia Pacific of the foreign ministry, she said on Tuesday that ASEM was an informal forum which was open to discussion on political issues and conflicts among its member states.

“ASEM will continue to offer the opportunity for informal dialogue on topical priority issues at the level of Heads of State and Governments”.

Asked whether the ASEM would provide support to India and Pakistan to remove their differences on Kashmir she said, “Yes we can talk about it in a non controversial way and would extend all our support for this purpose”.

Mr Benz said that political disputes could be discussed in ASEM but its decisions could not be a binding for any member country. “But when you are committed to multilateral approaches, it can help the two countries to get closer and resolve their problems politically and peacefully”, said the deputy head of the EU.

Giving the details, Ms Mustonen whose country holds the current presidency of EU, said that 6th Summit of ASEM has decided in Helsinki on 10-11 September, 2006 to include Pakistan, India and Mongolia in the forum. Its inaugural meeting was held in Bangkok in 1996.

By the next ASEM Summit to be held in Beijing in 2008, the number of cooperation partners will have increased from 39 to 45. Bulgaria and Romania from Europe and India, Pakistan and Mongolia and the ASEAN Secretariat on the Asian side will join the ASEM process.

“Enlargement will increase the international importance of ASEM. With the new partners, almost 60 percent of the world’s population will be involved in ASEM cooperation”, she said.

The current ASEM cooperation includes the member states of the European Union, European Commission, the 10 ASEAN countries (association of Southeast Asian nations), China, Japan and South Korea.

Both Ms Mustonen and Mr Benz said that ASEM will build its strengths and accomplishments, in particular the multi-dimensional dialogue and cooperation on political, economic as well as social, culture and educational issues.