India willing to host ASEF Board of Governors meeting in 2012

Godollo (Hungary), June 7 (ANI): Stating that India has been an active participant of the Asia Europe Foundation since 2007, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna on Tuesday announced that his country would be willing to host the autumn 2012 meeting of the Asia-Europe Foundation (ASEF) Board of Governors.

"India has been an active participant of the Asia Europe Foundation since 2007. At the last Board of Governors meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania on May 12-13, 2011 we signaled our increasing interest in ASEF activities by announcing a 20 percent increase in India's contribution," said Krishna.

"We will now be providing 120,000 US Dollars per annum towards ASEF activities. I would also like to announce that India would be willing to host the autumn 2012 meeting of the ASEF Board of Governors," he added.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania hosted the 26th ASEF Board of Governors Meeting. The meeting took place in Vilnius, Lithuania on May 12 and 13, 2011.

The Board of Governors (BOG) is responsible for reviewing ASEF's strategies and policies to ensure its alignment with ASEM priorities. It is also responsible for the finance and management, as well as for the approval of ASEF's projects. (ANI)