Members of the Asia-Europe Meeting kick off a two-day summit in Laos with a dramatic opening ceremony.<br/> <br />Laos President and host of the summit, Choumaly Sayasone, welcomed the more than 40 heads of state in attendance.<br/> <br />As Pakistan's Prime Minister Raja Pervaiz Ashraf told the participants, the financial crisis continues to overshadow and undermine economic relations between the two blocs.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) PAKISTAN PRIME MINISTER, RAJA PERVAIZ ASHRAF, SAYING:<br/> <br />"Both Asia and Europe have gone through the financial crisis during the recent years, it is time for both to learn from these harsh realities."<br/> <br />The President of the European Council, Herman van Rompuy, said stronger links meant more jobs, which are crucial to economic recovery.<br/> <br />(SOUNDBITE) (English) EUROPEAN COUNCIL PRESIDENT, HERMAN VAN ROMPUY, SAYING:<br/> <br />"We are currently negotiating a number of free trade agreements with Asian partners. With some of them we already have, with the aim to increase further market access and job opportunities with mutual benefits."<br/> <br />Meetings will include discussions on the global economic situation, the European debt crisis and the slowdown of economies in China and India.<br/> <br />ASEM members make up more than half of the world's GDP and four of the five largest economies in the world are located in both regions.
