ASEAN SOM Tackles Regional Cooperation And Treaty Commitments

GEORGE TOWN (Penang, Malaysia), June 10 (Bernama) -- The ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) in Penang on Tuesday discussed efforts to build the ASEAN Community, regional external relations, and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).

The meeting, chaired by the Secretary-General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and ASEAN SOM Leader of Malaysia, Amran Mohamed Zin, also touched on preparations for the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conferences in July.

In his speech, Amran expressed his appreciation to all ASEAN member states and Timor-Leste for their strong support, which contributed to the successful organisation of the 46th ASEAN Summit, the 2nd ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, and the ASEAN-GCC-China Summit held on May 26 and 27.

"He emphasised that the outcomes of the Summit reflect ASEAN's collective commitment to staying relevant and playing a crucial role in an increasingly challenging global landscape," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement posted on its Facebook page.

The statement said that today’s meeting served as a key platform for reviewing decisions made by ASEAN leaders, ensuring their orderly implementation.

Malaysia also expressed its commitment to continuing this positive momentum and translating the shared vision into concrete achievements for the benefit and stability of the region, it said.

Senior Officials from ASEAN and Timor-Leste also exchanged views on regional developments and issues of mutual interest, while discussing Timor-Leste's progress towards full ASEAN membership.

Meanwhile, Amran also held a meeting with Michelle Chan, Australia's Senior ASEAN Official, on the sidelines of the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting.

They discussed issues concerning Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship, along with key priority areas of the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum.

Malaysia is the ASEAN Chair for 2025, with the theme "Inclusivity and Sustainability".

-- BERNAMA