Taoiseach to attend Asia-Europe summit

Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was today travelling to Finland for a summit involving 39 European and Asian leaders.

The Asia-Europe Summit aims to develop links between the two continents through trade and improve understanding between individual countries.

Finland, which currently holds the presidency of the European Union, is hosting the event, with all 25 EU member countries taking part.

Key themes of this summit will be strengthening multilateralism and addressing security threats and dialogue among cultures and civilisations.

At a working dinner this evening, the Taoiseach is expected to make an intervention focusing on globalisation and human rights issues.

Mr Ahern is also expected to have a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister of Poland Jaroslaw Kaczynski in the margins of the summit.