The relevant request was submitted by the foreign minister in 2020, but its signature was delayed due to internal disputes within ASEAN regarding the question of the level of participation of the representative of the Myanmar military regime
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Dendias, participated in the proceedings of the 55th Meeting of Foreign Ministers of ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations), in the context of which Greece signed the ASEAN Friendship and Cooperation Pact, making our country an observer of the aforementioned Organization.
The relevant request was submitted by foreign minister in 2020, but its signature was delayed due to internal disputes within ASEAN over the question of the level of participation of the representative of the Myanmar military regime.
Along with Greece, Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Oman will sign this agreement.
The 55th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting is also expected to be attended by the Foreign Ministers of Australia, the US, Japan, India, China and Russia.
ASEAN was founded in 1967 and is considered the “European Union of South-East Asia”. Vietnam, Indonesia (where the Organization’s Secretariat is based), Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Brunei, Myanmar, Singapore, and Thailand are participating.
The Presidency of the Organization for 2022 is held by Cambodia.
It is maintained that the relations between the Members of the Organization are governed by the principles of respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, the repudiation of the threat or use of force, as well as the peaceful resolution of disputes.
Greece’s participation in this Organization offers a number of benefits.
First of all, cooperation prospects are opening up with a number of countries with several of which Greece has never had contacts at Ministerial level in the past.
The countries participating in ASEAN, in addition to adhering to basic principles embraced by Greece, also advocate full respect for the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Through participation in ASEAN, Greece broadens its horizons and strengthens its international profile in light of its candidacy to the Security Council (2025-26), the Human Rights Council (2028-2030) and the Presidency of the UN General Assembly ( 2035).
Participation in ASEAN is part of Greece’s participation in regional organizations. It is noted that in 2021 Greece joined the Lusofonia Organization as an observer, where Angola, Brazil, Portugal and Cape Verde participate, among others.
At the same time, it is pointed out that the ASEAN Ministerial Meetings are a framework for international contacts with the participation of the Foreign Ministers of the most important countries in the world.
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