UK, India pledge stronger cooperation with ASEAN
Secretary-General Minh welcomed the UK’s willingness to explore
cooperation with ASEAN and encouraged the country to continue to support
the grouping in its community building efforts.
During their
meeting, Secretary-General Minh and Ambassador Malik exchanged views on
key developments in the region and the world at large.
On
January 15, India’s first resident Ambassador to ASEAN Suresh K. Reddy
also presented his credentials to the Secretary-General at the ASEAN
Secretariat headquarters in Jakarta.
Ambassador Reddy reiterated
the importance his Government attaches to its relations with ASEAN and
the member states as well as the desire to further strengthen the
ASEAN-India strategic partnership.
The diplomat stressed that
India will work closely with ASEAN to explore new opportunities for
cooperation to fully utilise potentials of their dialogue relations. He
also renewed India’s continued commitment to supporting ASEAN centrality
in the evolving regional architecture.
In response,
Secretary-General Minh welcomed India’s commitment and assured that the
ASEAN Secretariat is ready to work closely with Ambassador Reddy in
order to enhance the multi-faceted ASEAN-India cooperation.
Minh
also called on India to expand its support to the bloc’s common
endeavour in building a community in 2015 and beyond. He expressed his
belief that the fast-growing ASEAN-India partnership will be further
substantiated through effective facilitation and coordination.-VNA