Vientiane [Laos], July 26 (ANI): External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar held meetings with his counterparts from South Korea, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and the European Union, on the sidelines of ASEAN events in Vientiane, Laos, on Friday.
The EAM met Cho Tae-yul, the Foreign Minister of Republic of Korea and held a wide ranging conversation on Special Strategic Partnership.
“A pleasure to meet RoK @FMChoTaeyul today in Vientiane. Wide ranging conversation on Special Strategic Partnership. Our shared convergences in the Indo-Pacific region is also opening new avenues of cooperation,” Jaishankar posted on X.
https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1816821812694786433
He also met Josep Borrell Fontelles, the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy. The leaders discussed enhancing the India-EU ties in areas of trade, clean energy transition and advanced technologies.
“Delighted to meet EU HRVP @JosepBorrellF, this time in Vientiane. Spoke of India-EU potential to augment partnership in trade, clean energy transition and advanced technologies. Exchanged perspectives on regional and global issues. Thank HRVP Borrell for his friendship and staunch support for strengthening India-EU ties,” the Foreign Minister stated.
https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1816821469554573409
The EAM held conversation with Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and thanked Singapore for steering ASEAN-India relations.
“Great conversation with dear friend FM @VivianBala of Singapore. Thank Singapore for steering ASEAN-India relations in the last three years as Country Coordinator. We spoke about creating a new agenda for our bilateral ties. Also appreciated his thoughts on the current geopolitical situation,” he said.
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The Foreign Minister also met Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. He congratulated her stint as Foreign Minister and appreciated her contribution towards India-Indonesia and India-ASEAN relations.
“Always good to see my friend FM @Menlu_RI of Indonesia. Congratulated her on a great stint as Foreign Minister. Her contribution towards India-Indonesia and India-ASEAN relations are notable. Enjoyed working with her during our G20 Presidencies,” Jaishankar posted.
https://x.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1816820955731354030
Jaishankar met Malaysian Foreign Minister, Mohamad Haji Hasan, and discussed the initiatives in the bilateral relationship between the two nations.
“A warm conversation with Malaysian FM @tokmatn9 today in Vientiane. Discussed ongoing initiatives in our bilateral relationship. Look forward to enhancing our ties in the second decade of our Enhanced Strategic Partnership,” he said in a subsequent post.
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Earlier in the day, EAM Jaishankar met his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on the sidelines of ASEAN events in Laos’ Vientiane on Friday.
In a picture shared by the Russian Embassy in India, Jaishankar and Lavrov were seen sharing a laugh as they shook hands.
Previously, the two leaders had met on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Heads of State Council meeting in Astana.
Jaishankar, who is on a visit to Vientiane from July 25-28, participated in the ASEAN meeting on Friday.
In his remarks, Jaishankar said that political, economic and security cooperation with ASEAN is of the utmost priority.
Jaishankar said that for India, ASEAN is the cornerstone of its Act East policy, the Indo-Pacific vision that was built on it and the people-to-people linkages that India is constantly seeking to expand.
“The priority that India attaches to ASEAN and AS platforms is evident from Prime Minister Modi visiting Jakarta last year on the very eve of our own G20 summit. He had announced a 12-point plan that has been largely acted upon,” he said.
Jaishankar thanked Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore Vivian Balakrishnan for his wishes on the former’s reappointment and said he looked forward to working with him in the future. He also appreciated Balakrishnan’s role as country coordinator.
The Foreign Minister said that it is encouraging to see that ASEAN’s partnership acquires more dimensions every year. “Though ASEAN’s achievements are substantial, our ambitions must remain high,” he said.
He welcomed Timor-Leste as an observer in the meeting. “Last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that we would open an embassy in Delhi. We are proceeding to do so very shortly and in fact, we will be undertaking high-level visits there as well.”
“I extend my deepest appreciation to all of you for strengthening ASEAN India relations through substantive and tangible cooperation identified under the ASEAN India Plan of Action,” Jaishankar said, adding that he looked forward to further discussions.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Dato Haji Erywan on the sidelines of the ASEAN meetings in Vientiane, Laos and launched a logo celebrating 40 years of diplomatic relations of both the countries.
The ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference with India was convened in Vientiane on Friday and attended by the ASEAN Foreign Ministers, Minister of External Affairs S Jaishankar and the Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Political-Security Community Dato’ Astanah Abdul Aziz. Timor-Leste attended as an Observer.
The meeting reaffirmed both sides’ commitment to further enhance the ASEAN-India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (CSP) in the coming years by continuing the robust implementation of the ASEAN-India Plan of Action and its Annex and develop its successor document which will guide both sides in realising the full potential of the CSP in the next five years.
The ministers also exchanged views on several regional and international issues of common interest and concern. (ANI)
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