BRUSSELS Jan 22 (TNA) — The 22nd EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting agreed in principle to develop strategic partnership.
The agreement was reached in the meeting where foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the European Union met on Jan 21.
Earlier both sides intended to officially announce the strategic partnership but the meeting called off the plan because Indonesia and Malaysia protested against the EU’s policy to limit its imports of their palm oil. The EU set up a working group to discuss the issue with the concerned countries.
Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said after the meeting that EU and ASEAN were already strategic partners in practice and the official announcement of the developed partnership could happen in a meeting of ASEAN and dialogue partners that Thailand would host late this year.
The Jan 21 meeting also discussed cooperation on sustainable development and situations in the Rakhine State of Myanmar. EU did not raise any concern on Rakhine, Mr Don said. (TNA)
