Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus To Sign ASEAN Amity Treaty 

MANILA, Nov 13 (Bernama-PNA) -- Slovakia, Slovenia, and Cyprus are set to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia ahead of the 49th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit on Saturday, Philippine News Agency (PNA) reported.

The foreign and transportation ministers of the three states will sign the peace pact during the ASEAN ministerial meeting at the Philippine International Convention Centre (PICC).

At a post-bilateral meeting with Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro in Pasay City on Thursday, Slovak Foreign Minister Juraj Blanár said he intends to be “more and more visible in this region” following the accession.

“Slovakia will be a part of the ASEAN TAC countries. It is a privilege for us, and we take it as an honour. We share common values, and one of the most important parts of our cooperation is to maintain a peace and rules-based order,” he said.

He then thanked the Philippines as this year’s ASEAN chair for supporting its accession to the treaty.

Blanár, meanwhile, described Slovakia’s future partnership with the bloc as strategic, noting that the region is an important EU market and houses some of the world’s emerging and fast-growing countries.

“As far as I know, EU countries are the most important trade partners of ASEAN countries after the stakeholders in this region and the US. So, this is really a strategic issue for Slovakia as a member of the European Union,” he said.

The TAC, signed in February 1976 during the first ASEAN Summit by the five founding members  - the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand - serves as the region’s core peace and security agreement.

By acceding to the TAC, a country signals its commitment to ASEAN’s principles of peaceful coexistence and friendly cooperation among states in the region.

Signing the instrument of accession on Saturday are Blanár, Slovenian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tone Kajzer and Cyprus Minister of Transport, Communications and Works Evi Tsolaki.

-- BERNAMA-PNA