High hopes for Asia

BRUSSELS: It is easy to be optimistic when you are on the other side of the world.

At a meeting to mark his appointment as president of the European Automobile Manufacturers Association for 1998, BMW chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder said European carmakers need to continue to view Asia as an important long-term market despite the economic crisis gripping the region.

"You have to take the long-term view. All the Asian countries are inherently strong," he said.