site.btaForeign Minister Zaharieva Hails 40-Year Long EU-ASEAN Partnership

January 22 (BTA) - The 22th EU-ASEAN meeting of
foreign ministers took place in Brussels on Monday. On behalf of
 the European Union the meeting was co-chaired by EU High
Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica
Mogherini, and on behalf of ASEAN by Singapore Minister of
Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan. Bulgaria was represented by
 Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva.

The ministers adopted a joint declaration focusing on four
priorities: the future relations, security, connectivity and
trade and economy. The EU and ASEAN agree in principle to
upgrade EU-ASEAN relations to a strategic partnership while the
details of the timeframe will be specified later.

Zaharieva hailed the 40-year long partnership between EU and
ASEAN.

"It is especially important to focus on children and education
and educate them about the sustainable way of living. My country
 is actively involved in this process," said Zaharieva.

Bulgaria attaches a priority to relations with Southeast Asian
countries given their dynamic economic development and ASEAN's
role as a core and engine of integration processes in the Asia
Pacific Region. ASEAN takes an important place in Bulgaria's
foreign policy in terms of traditional bilateral relations with
a number of countries and within the framework of stepped up
EU-ASEAN partnership in the political, economic and social and
cultural areas.

ASEAN is a geopolitical and economic organizations of Southeast
Asian countries which was set up in 1967 and comprises ten
countries: Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore,
Thailand, Brunei, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia. RY/PP