Asian and European finance ministers agreed their regions should share the burden of a weaker US dollar, amid criticism that Asian governments are keeping their currencies undervalued to the detriment of European exports.

　　The statement, issued following a weekend meeting in Bali, Indonesia, came after some European delegates accused Asian central banks of robbing Europe of export competitiveness and economic growth by either pegging their currencies to a falling US dollar or by selling their currencies.

　　The euro has gained 9.4 percent this year against the US dollar, while the Japanese yen has risen only 0.5 percent.

　　The problem would be best addressed by freeing currency markets from government meddling, European officials said.

　　"Markets will work such that it will be, over time, less lopsided," Kurt Hall, director-general of the international department in Sweden's ministry of finance, told Bloomberg News. He said exchange rates were discussed during the meeting, though the debate wasn't "intense."

　　The joint declaration issued at the close of the conference said "an orderly and fairly shared adjustment of international imbalances" is key to maintaining a global economic recovery.

　　Asked if the communique was a veiled attack on the Chinese yuan, Japanese Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa told a press briefing, "The resolution addresses a certain degree of international imbalance, but it didn't have specific countries in mind."

　　Even so, there were no public commitments from Asian policy- makers that they are prepared to change their exchange-rate policies. Instead, Asian finance ministers tried to convince their European counterparts to look at Asian coun-tries as partners, not adversaries.

　　The most-populous continent "will provide new market demand for Europe and reduce its costs," Jin Renqing, the Chinese finance minister, said in his keynote speech during the meeting.

　　"It will facilitate economic restructuring in Europe and alleviate pressure of insufficient internal demand," Jin said.

　　Earlier this week, China central bank Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said in a speech that the yuan will be kept at current levels.