Cambodia: ASEAN Foreign Ministers Debate Regional Agenda

Phnom Penh, Jul 12 (Prensa Latina) The regional forum of the Association of South East Nations (ASEAN) will open on Thursday with the way paved by the foreign ministers of the bloc, who met separately with representatives of nine countries from different regions of the world.

  The working session called "ASEAN plus One" was held on Wednesday, consisting of meetings with representatives of China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Canada, India, Russia, South Korea, the United States and the European Union.

The 49th ASEAN forum aims to promote more effective cooperation with the international community and to discuss crucial global issues.

With China, all ten ASEAN foreign ministers decided unanimously to effectively implement the action plan agreed upon for the 2011-2015 period and the joint declaration on a strategic association for peace and prosperity.

Australia and New Zealand are expected to continue their cooperation and assistance and to boost the free trade agreement between the ASEAN and those two nations.

With Japan, one of the most important partners, the bloc is still negotiating an agreement on trade in services and investment.

Regarding Canada, the ASEAN will boost the ongoing five-year action plan and strengthen cooperation in agriculture, energy, food security, disaster management, and the fight against terrorism and transnational crime.

The same stance was adopted regarding India.

The links with Russia involve several fields, including the possibility of setting up a joint entrepreneurial council.

South Korea, which is committed to the action plan and signed the Declaration on Strategic Association, accredited a permanent delegation before the ASEAN.

Regarding the United States, all parties highly valued the bilateral business forum and promised to speed up collaboration in maritime security, education, the adjustment to climate change and the Mekong subregion.

The ASEAN asked the European Union for speed and effectiveness, so that the two blocs can sign a declaration full of intentions for the 2013-2017 period.

sus/jg/ocs/hr Modificado el ( jueves, 12 de julio de 2012 )