Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana chairing the meeting.

Representatives of political parties from Latin America and the Asia-Pacific pledged on Thursday to strengthen cooperation amid the current global financial crisis.

The first joint meeting of the political parties of the two regions opened here Thursday, with climate change, poverty reduction and regional cooperation high on the agenda.

Jose de Venecia, chairman of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), said most countries in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific region are now facing similar development problems.

Political parties from the two regions should play a bigger role in the anti-poverty drive, the fight against climate change and the process of strengthening democracy, Venecia said at the opening ceremony of the meeting.

Antonio Cafiero, president of the Permanent Conference of Political Parties of Latin American and the Caribbean (COPPAL), said the first meeting between representatives of political parties in Latin America and the Asia-Pacific demonstrated the will of the two regions to enhance political cooperation and exchanges.

Against the backdrop of the current global financial crisis, it is of vital importance for different political parties in different regions of the world to strengthen exchanges, Cafiero said.

Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana said that as there are already close trade and economic links between the two regions, it is important for them to strengthen political exchanges and cooperation.

The political parties of the two regions should play a major role at a time when global economy is being hit hard by the financial crisis and the international financial system is in dire need of reforms, Taiana said.

The ICAPP, established in 2000, represents some 250 political parties in the Asia-Pacific region.

The COPPAL, founded in 1979, represents 58 political parties from 29 Latin American countries.

Source: Xinhua