Adviser to the Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs, Sartaj Aziz Saturday attended retreat session of the 11th ASEM Summit in Ulaanbaatar, in which a wide range of regional and international issues were discussed by the leaders from Asia and Europe.
Sartaj spoke on the defining issue of global terrorism. He said despite international efforts to counter terrorism over the past 15 years, the phenomenon has become more complex and gruesome with home-grown terrorists, foreign fighters, ISIS and lone wolf attacks by radicalized youth. The widespread use of social media by terrorists to spread their message was becoming a major problem.
The adviser emphasised that Pakistan, one of the biggest victims of terrorism, has been at the forefront of efforts to counter the menace of terrorism. The complexity of the challenge demands enhanced and shared understanding, and deeper dialogue among countries, cultures and civilisations. He underscored the need for addressing the causes of terrorism as part of any strategy to counter it and to address the prolonged, unresolved conflicts, like Kashmir and Palestine.
Ulaanbaatar Declaration was adopted as an outcome document of the Summit, in which the participating leaders from Asia and Europe renewed their political will and strong resolve to work together to promote mutually beneficial partnership and co-operation between the two continents, with a view to building a better future for the peoples of Asia and Europe.
The leaders and participating delegations attended the nomadic Naadam Festival. On this occasion, the Adviser was presented a horse of native Mongolian breed by the President of Mongolia, which was named 'Rustam' by the Adviser. The event was rounded off with a gala dinner hosted by the President of Mongolia, followed by performance of Mongolian culture.-PR