Argentina wants to foster its cooperation with ASEAN in many areas, according to the ASEAN Secretariat.

“The Argentine Republic looks at ASEAN as an important and successful regional organisation and is highly interested in working with ASEAN in every relevant areas of cooperation,” the Secretariat’s website on March 14 quoted Ambassador of Argentina to ASEAN Ricardo Luis Bocalandro as saying during the presentation of his Letter of Credence to Secretary-General of ASEAN Le Luong Minh.

On his part, Secretary-General Minh stressed that Argentina could play a bigger role in promoting cooperation between the country and ASEAN as well as between Argentina and individual ASEAN member states in areas such as economic, trade and investment, food and energy security, people to people connectivity, and tourism.

Minh also encouraged Ambassador Bocalandro to work with ASEAN in promoting region to region cooperation between ASEAN and Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), ASEAN and MERCOSUR and Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC).

Ambassador Bocalandro promised to work closely with ASEAN and the Secretariat officials to forge closer cooperation between ASEAN and Argentina in areas of mutual interests and potentials. He said he will do whatever is possible within his capacity as Ambassador of Argentina to ASEAN to promote cooperation between Latin American and ASEAN regions.

Ambassador Bocalandro is the second Ambassador of Argentina to ASEAN since the entry into force of the ASEAN Charter in December 2008.-VNA