ASEAN Day held for first time in Cuba

Illustrative image (Photo: thestar.com.my))

Havana (VNA) – Over 120 delegates from representative missions of Vietnam,Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Cambodia and Myanmar in Cuba on August 8 gatheredtogether in a flag hoisting ceremony to celebrate the 55th foundinganniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

This is the first time an event of this kind hasbeen held in Cuba after the ASEAN Committee inHavana, Cuba (ACHC) was officially established on April 13 this year.

Addressing the event, Angel Villa Hernández,General Director of Bilateral Affairs of the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs(MINREX), affirmed that Cuba attaches importance to and wishes to promotefriendship and cooperation with the group and its member countries.

Cuba expects to expand exchange with ASEAN in theparliamentary, academic and medical fields, he said.

In her opening remarks, Indonesian Ambassador toCuba Nana Yuliana, the rotating chair of ACHC, briefed participants on theformation and development of ASEAN since 1967 with remarkable achievements inall fields, which helped turn the association into a united, dynamic andprestigious community.

She took the occasion to express the deepcondolences to victims of the recent blaze at the largest fuel depot in theLatin American country./.

VNA