(28 May 2007)
1. Wide of conference room
2. Various of German Foreign Minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier arriving at news conference
3. Steinmeier; Chinese Foreign Minister, Yang Jiechi; EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero Waldner taking seats on stage
4. SOUNDBITE: (German) Frank-Walter Steinmeier, German Foreign Minister:
"Of course it was important for us today to discuss all the issues in which we stand side by side in addressing international conflicts - of which there are far too many. We have talked about our current efforts regarding the nuclear programme of Iran, we discussed the upcoming steps that have to be taken and the negotiations that have taken place so far. We have always agreed on two points, the first of which is that we have to try whatever we can to increase pressure on Iran so as to get Iran to comply with the expectations of the international community and the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Authority) and both sides are in agreement."
5. Close-up of Ferrero Waldner
STORYLINE:
German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was joined by the Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and European Union (EU) ministers on Monday at a news conference ahead of this week's Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM).
Human rights, along with climate change, building closer trade and energy ties and international issues such as Iran and North Korea's nuclear programmes, are among the major topics on the agenda for the two-day meeting of about 40 ministers.
"We have talked about our current efforts regarding the nuclear programme of Iran, we discussed the upcoming steps that have to be taken and the negotiations that have taken place so far," said Steinmeier at the news conference.
''We have always been in agreement on two points the first of which is that we have to try whatever we can to increase pressure on Iran so as to get Iran to comply with the expectations of the international community and the IAEA and both sides are in agreement,'' he added.
Steinmeier was also expected to push China, India and others to cut carbon dioxide emissions.
The EU launched its regular Asia-Europe Meeting, or ASEM, in 1996.
Since then, the growth of India and China as major economic and political players alongside Japan has given new impetus to efforts by the 27-nation EU to boost ties with Asia and offer itself as an alternative Western partner to the United States.
The EU agreed last month to open negotiations on free-trade pacts with India, South Korea and the 10-nation ASEAN group.
However, the move raised fears that Europe was altering its trade policy, downgrading its priority to reach a global trade deal through negotiations at the World Trade Organisation, which remain stalled.
The 43 nations attending the Hamburg talks will also address efforts led by China and the United States to get North Korea to suspend its nuclear weapons programme.
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