Asean, EU Foreign Ministers meet in Bangkok

Bangkok, Oct 14: Foreign ministers and senior officials of the European Union (EU) and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) on Friday began their bi-annual meet in Bangkok with an agenda centred on trade, human rights and security.

The Foreign Minister of Slovakia and EU representative Miroslav Lajcak said the Asean was a priority for the European bloc for economic cooperation as well in its fight against terrorism, EFE news reported.

Asean and the EU can increase cooperation to end radicalization of the younger generations, said Lajcak, who substituted EU diplomatic head Federica Mogherini at the last minute at the event.

He said the EU members were negotiating a regional defence agreement along the lines of the Treaty of Lisbon, signed nearly a decade ago.

According to the European representative, Asean and the EU should move towards a region-to-region agreement that benefits companies, tourism and people-to-people links.

Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai stressed the importance of moving towards greater integration for prosperity and peace