Over 70 people from the diplomatic corps, academia, business, media & the public sector attended the ASIA briefing on 9 June at the Chester Beatty Library.

Ms. YEO Lay Hwee, Senior Research Fellow at the Singapore Institute of International Affairs & Director of the EU Centre in Singapore, addressed the topic of 'ASEAN - Finding its way through the Economic Crisis'. The session was moderated by Dr Paul Gillespie, Foreign Policy Editor of the Irish Times & Dr Tom Hardiman, ASEF Governor for Ireland welcomed the guests, encouraging them to support the effort by ASIA to encourage closer links and deeper understanding with Asia. Dr Fan Hong, Chair of ASIA joined the event, the first event in Dublin following up on the launch at UCC last year of ASIA by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mícheál Martin, T.D.

There was strong interest from the business sector with representatives of the various Asian business groups & Irish-Asia groups present, including Ron Bolger, Hon Con of Singapore to Ireland & member of the Government's High Level Group on the Asia Strategy & Brendan Waldron, President of the Irish Chinese Association & Colin McDonald, President of the IBA. The event was organised for ASIA by Peter Ryan, Director of ASEF & the IBA.

Click here to access Ms. YEO's presentation slides.