ASEAN-EU 17th ministerial meeting opens in Cambodia

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen presided over the opening ceremony held at Chaktomuk Conference Hall and will make a keynote address.

The 17th ministerial meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and European Union (EU) opened here Thursday, focusing on ASEAN-EU’s enhanced partnership and cooperation, as well as the world economic and financial crisis and other regional and international issues. Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen presided over the opening ceremony held at Chaktomuk Conference Hall and will make a keynote address.

The meeting under the theme of “ASEAN-EU Partnership for Peace, Economic Growth and Development” is also scheduled to address issues of ASEAN integration, food and energy security and the environment.

This biennial ASEAN-EU ministerial meeting was attended by representatives from all the 10 ASEAN countries and the 27 EU member states, as well as the delegates from ASEAN Secretariat and EU Commission.

Cambodian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Namhong and Jan Kohout, Czech deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs whose country is current EU president, are co-presidents of the meeting. The 16th Ministerial Meeting between ASEAN and EU was held in Germany in 2007.

The ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

PHNOM PENH, Thursday, Xinhua