Schröder to Make Asian Tour in October

German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder will make a four-country tour of Asia next month and take part in the Asia-Europe (ASEM) leaders' summit in Vietnam, a government spokesman said Wednesday. Spokesman Bela Anda told reporters that Schroeder would leave on October 5 and spend October 6-7 in India before attending the ASEM conference in Hanoi October 8-9. The summit will bring together the European Union and seven members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China, Japan and South Korea. The chancellor will then continue on to Pakistan October 10 and Afghanistan October 11 before returning to Berlin. AFP