By focusing on Asian security, the SDA’s Roundtable reflected the region’s growing importance. Speakers from Pakistan, South Korea, India, Afghanistan and China described an area that was teeming with major issues – nuclear proliferation, poverty, human rights, democracy, terrorism, health concerns, energy consumption, etc. It was similar to other parts of the globe, except that in Asia’s case, the issues were all major and coming to the boil at the same time. As it was, China received the most attention. On the issue of democracy, the China Institute for International Studies’ Ruan Zongze argued that China was not opposed to the philosophy but that in a diversified world, different formats of political systems could exist. The Commission’s Henriette Geiger gave an EU perspective, saying that China would remain inward-looking and that growing social imbalances if not properly addressed could have serious security implications. India’s EU Deputy Chief of Mission Ashok Sajjanhar wanted a stronger and more relevant UN as well as a successful Doha Round. Pakistan’s Ambassador to the EU, H.E. Saeed Khalid offered his country’s assistance in the nuclear dispute with Iran and the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Victor Seleznev wanted a cooperative security system for the whole region with equal rights for all participants.