Minister for Foreign Affairs K Shanmugam attended the 10th Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Gödöllõ, Hungary, from 6 to 7 June 2011. During the plenary session to discuss the topic of Non-Traditional Security Challenges, Minister Shanmugam highlighted the increased importance of nuclear safety in the wake of the Fukushima crisis and its impact on the region. Noting the complementarity existing between Asian and European countries in expertise and experience on nuclear safety issues, Minister Shanmugam called for increased inter-regional and regional cooperation in this area. To that end, he introduced Singapore's proposal to host an ASEM Seminar on Nuclear Safety Issues in 2012 that could provide a platform for practitioners and policy-makers from ASEM partner countries to exchange information and share experiences.
On the sidelines of the two-day meeting, Minister Shanmugam also took the opportunity to pay a courtesy call on his host, Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mr Janos Martonyi, and hold separate introductory meetings with several of his colleagues from Asia and Europe to discuss bilateral relations.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
7 JUNE 2011