The ASEAN Foreign Ministers had a good exchange of views at their Retreat (1-2 March 2007) in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
The Foreign Ministers provided guidance to the ASEAN Charter High Level Task Force on the direction to take in drafting the ASEAN Charter. On community-building efforts in the region, including the building of an East Asia community, the Ministers agreed that these should be open-ended and inclusive.
The Foreign Ministers also discussed ways to strengthen ASEAN's external relations. They agreed to work towards holding Commemorative Summits with the US and the EU to mark the 30th anniversary of ASEAN's relations with these two partners. Ahead of the upcoming ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (14-15 March 2007) in Nuremberg, Germany, the Ministers warmly welcomed the EU's intention to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
2 MARCH 2007