Participants at the Fifth Asia-Europe Young Parliamentarians Meeting in Guilin yesterday called for further strengthening exchanges among cultures and civilizations while maintaining the diversity of the world and respecting the rights of all peoples to choose the path of development independently.

　　During the meeting, participants had an in-depth exchange of views and reached consensus on wide-ranging topics such as current inter-national situation and new security concept, economic globalization and developing countries, and dialogue on cultures and civilizations.

　　The four-day meeting concluded yesterday.

　　Based on the consensus reached during the sessions, the Lijiang Declaration was passed.

　　The declaration says young parliamentarians from nearly 20 member countries of the Asia-European Meeting and the European Parliament stand for democracy in international relations, favor the settlement of international disputes through peaceful means and the maintenance of regional stability and world peace, oppose terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, and endorse the realization of common development through mutually beneficial cooperation and increased support to the developing countries.

　　They believe that the complicated and volatile international situation at present has added to the necessity and urgency of strengthened dialogue, exchanges and cooperation between Asia and Europe, and they will actively participate in and push forward the ASEM process for even greater progress, according to the declaration.

　　They underscore the importance of the YPM process initiated by the Asia-Europe Foundation in 1998 and feel gratified and encouraged by the fruitful dialogues and exchanges that have been conducted through the YPM platform, in an atmosphere of openness, candor and mutual respect, with a view to enhancing understanding and friendship between the two peoples and promoting cooperation between the two continents, says the declaration.

　　The YPM has provided them with an important platform for expressing ideas, making friends and widening horizon, the declaration says.