Mr. Janos Martonyi, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Hungary attended the ASEM (Asia-Europe Meeting) 9 Summit held in Vientiane between 5th and 6th November 2012. Participants of meeting held bi-annually discussed such important international issues as global economic and financial challenges, exchange of experiences on means helping the solution of these problems, global problems related to the disarmament, climate change, energy and food security, water manegement, as well as several aspects of people-to people contacts between Europe and Asia, for instance in the field of migration, education, culture and tourism.

At the summit, considered as the most important forum of co-operation between Europe and Asia, Minister Martonyi stressed the importance of the water in sustainable development and that of sustainable water management. The Hungarian Foreign Minister advocated a closer, integrated international co-operation in global water policy for the sake of sustainability, and suggested that more attention should be paid to the role of water in ASEM co-operation. The ASEM 9 Summit has endorsed the so-called „Budapest initiative” aiming at the same goal. Minister Martonyi announced that Hungary would host a UN coference on water and sanitation by autumn 2013.