Thailand to host 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

Illustrative photo (Source: asean2019.go.th)

Thailand’s The Nation newspaper quoted a local senior official as saying the 10-member bloc is ready to discuss with its global partners measures to connect and cooperate after adopting its outlook on Indo-Pacific at a summit in June.

As the 2019 ASEAN chair, Thailand will host and facilitate talks with partners on several issues, including the Rakhine crisis, as well as the contentious issues related to the East Sea and the Korean Peninsula.

While highlighting connectivity and sustainability in all aspects of discussion and cooperation, Thailand will also try to accommodate all relevant issues in the ASEAN meetings next week, the official said.

As scheduled, Thai Minister of Foreign Affairs Don Pramudwinai will chair the 52nd AMM and co-chair the PMCs and other meetings, which include AMM’s Interface with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR), the 20th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the 9th East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the 26th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

Other related meetings include sub-regional meetings such as the 12th Lower Mekong Initiative Ministerial Meeting, the 10th Mekong – Ganga Cooperation Ministerial Meeting, the 9th Mekong – Republic of Korea Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and the 12th Mekong – Japan Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Attending these meetings will be representatives from more than 30 countries, including ASEAN member states, ASEAN dialogue partners, ARF non-dialogue partner members, and guests of the Chair, such as Norway, Peru, Switzerland, and Turkey.