Korean President Park Geun-hye has made on October 16 three proposals related to her "Eurasian initiative" in the opening meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting summit being held in Milan, Italy for two days between October 16 and 17.
The initiative calls for the establishment of a logistics and energy network across Eurasian nations including linking of Russia's Trans-Siberian Railway with South Korean railway lines through North Korea. It may help induce the rulers in the north to embrace openness, the reasoning goes, which again could lay the foundation for unification with North Korea.
In a keynote speech delivered in the second session of the day, Ms. Park explained the main goals of the Eurasian initiative and urged the leaders in Europe and Asia to support her plan. In order to implement the initiative, she proposed that an international symposium be held within the first half of 2015 to discuss the feasibility of establishing a logistics network across Eurasia.
She continued, "The Eurasian initiative seeks ultimately to bind the countries in Europe and Asia in a single continent. To do it, it is of critical importance to include North Korea within the link."
Established in 1996, the ASEM summit brings together 51 countries in Europe and Asia, as well as the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. In the latest Milan meeting, 51 national leaders have participated.
By Bruce Yeon(bruce@koreaittimes.com)
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