On Monday, 5th November, Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, on his visit to Laos for the 9th Asia-Europe Summit Meeting (ASEM 9), held a summit meeting with H.E. Mr. Herman Van Rompuy, President of the European Council, and H.E. Mr. Jose Manuel Barroso, President of the European Commission, for about 35 minutes from 11:55 local time (13:55 on 5th November, Japan time). An overview of the meeting is as follows:

1. Opening
   
   Prime Minister Noda congratulated the European Union (EU) on receiving the Nobel Peace Prize and stated its intention to continue cooperation in various fields with the EU as global partners sharing fundamental values. In response, President Van Rompuy said that the recent visits to Japan by several European Commissioners demonstrate increasingly close bilateral ties and President Barroso stressed developments of the relations as strategic partners.
   
   
2. European Debt Crisis
   
   Referring to Japan's contribution in addressing the European debt crisis, Prime Minister Noda emphasized the importance for Europe itself to implement agreed measures in a decisive and prompt manner.
   
   
3. Japan-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA)
   
   Prime Minister Noda urged the EU leaders to display vigorous leadership and thereby enable to swiftly obtain a negotiating mandate. In response, President Van Rompuy and President Barroso stated that continued efforts should be made by both sides towards the launch of the negotiations.
   
   
4. Japan-EU Annual Summit
   
   The leaders shared the view that the next annual summit meeting should be held as early as possible next year.
   
   
5. Regional Affairs
   
   (1) Prime Minister Noda explained Japan's basic policy of contributing to regional peace and prosperity as a responsible country in the Asia Pacific region by addressing relations with China, one of the most important bilateral relations, consistently and reasonably. President Van Rompuy followed it by saying that the EU supports peaceful measures as Japan explained.
   
   (2) As for Myanmar, Prime Minister Noda stressed importance of delivering message of supporting its efforts towards democratization, national reconciliation as well as economic reform by the international community as a whole to all the relevant people including the government. In response, President Barroso said that he met President Thein Sein, Aung San Suu Kyi, and others during his visit to Yangon prior to the visit to Laos and expressed EU's supports to Myanmar from political, economic and geopolitical point of view. President Barroso also mentioned that especially economic development is the key for that purpose and the EU would promote bilateral trade by granting preferential tariff rates to Myanmar.