ASEAN Mulling Upgrade Of Turkiye To Full Dialogue Partner Status -- Mohamad

By Noor Bakhtiar Ahmad

KUALA LUMPUR, July 11 (Bernama) -- ASEAN is considering upgrading its relationship with Türkiye from a sectoral dialogue partner to a full dialogue partner in the near future, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

He said that as a sectoral dialogue partner, Türkiye has played a constructive role in various areas including technology, security, defence, and agriculture, as well as offering scholarships to students from ASEAN member states.

“So we are considering how to bring Türkiye in as a full dialogue partner of ASEAN in the near future, God willing,” he told reporters after chairing the Trilateral Meeting between Malaysia, Türkiye and the ASEAN Secretariat, here, on Friday.

The 30-minute meeting was also attended by Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and ASEAN secretary-general Dr Kao Kim Hourn.

It was held on the sidelines of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-58) and related meetings.

Meanwhile, Mohamad said that many countries have expressed their interest in becoming sectoral or full dialogue partners of ASEAN.

“Many countries have applied and are waiting to become sectoral or full dialogue partners of ASEAN.

“But we have imposed a moratorium because there are simply too many applications,” he said.

He added that ASEAN currently has 11 dialogue partners, and any additions must be carefully considered to avoid overburdening the existing structure.

The 58th AMM and related meetings are being held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) under Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, themed ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’. The event comprises 24 ministerial-level meetings, including engagements with ASEAN dialogue and sectoral partners, and spans four days beginning Tuesday.

-- BERNAMA