Latvia participates in the EU and Southeast Asia dialogue [11 Mar 2005]

On 10 March 2005, the 15^th meeting of the EU foreign ministers and the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) took place in Jakarta, Indonesia. At the meeting, Latvia was represented by the Under-Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Andris Teikmanis.

This was the first time that Latvia and the other "new" EU countries participated in the dialogue between the EU and Southeast Asian countries. Latvia considers its involvement in these talks as particularly topical since it coincides with the EU's efforts to intensify and expand its relations with the Southeast Asian region, which has become one of the EU's main global trade partners. For Latvia, it is a chance to establish contacts with a region boasting a dynamic economy, a huge growth potential and a rich cultural heritage.

The meeting's agenda included both current issues of EU-ASEAN bilateral cooperation, as well as today's international issues. The participants of the meeting agreed unanimously that the EU-Southeast Asian cooperation is developing well and shows a clear trend of expansion, particularly over the last few years, leaving the confines of economic collaboration and spanning new sectors such as combating terrorism and international crime, security matters, environmental protection, science, and education. Both parties are also interested in developing a political dialogue.

The participants emphasized that the tsunami disaster that stroke the Southeast Asian region last December has brought the European and Southeast Asian countries considerably closer, since both sides suffered substantial casualties. ASEAN representatives expressed gratitude for the timely assistance their countries received from Europe, which saved many lives that would otherwise be lost. When discussing the further cooperation in eliminating the tsunami devastation, the parties agreed that all assistance to the region should be coordinated and it should answer the exact needs of each recipient country. Both European and Asian representatives expressed support for the introduction of an early warning system in the region.

The international issues discussed in the meeting included the current situation in the Middle East, Iraq and the Korean Peninsula. Opinions regarding Myanmar were also exchanged.

While in Jakarta, Under-Secretary of State Teikmanis visited the Indonesian Chamber of Trade and Commerce and the Jakarta Container Terminal, and gave an interview to the Indonesian TV.

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