Foreign Minister to attend 17th ministerial meeting of ASEAN – EU

(KPL) A high-ranking delegation of Laos led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Thongloun Sisoulith will attend the 17th ASEAN – EU Ministerial Meeting which will be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia from 27-28 May.
The meeting is significant for the two organisation of Asean and Eu as it is the first since the Asean Charter came into effect in December 2008 and will be held during a time of uncertainty caused by the global economic slowdown and the H1N1 flu outbreak.
At the meeting, participants will also discuss situations of importance in their respective regions, review Asean-EU partnership and assess future co-operation efforts. The meeting will also exchange views on regional and international issues of common interest including food and energy security, non-military security issues, global warming and climate change.
During the event the Lao delegation is expected to hold bilateral talks with Polish, English, Italian and Bulgarian counterparts.
The Asean-EU Ministerial Meeting convenes every 18 months, alternating in location between Asia and Europe.