Strengthening bilateral economic, political and security ties with ASEANand the member states remains a priority for Canada.
This was confirmed by Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird,who is on his Asia tour, which will include visits to ASEAN memberstates of Singapore, Indonesia and Myanmar from July 31.
“When Canadians think of our country’s priority relationships in Asia,we tend to think of the dominant regional countries, including Japan,India and China,” Baird was quoted in the Canadian Government’sannouncement dated July 30.
“Those nations areundoubtedly important to us, but we must not ignore the tremendousgrowing opportunities in Southeast Asia and our strengthening ties tothat dynamic and remarkably diverse region,” he added.
In Singapore, Canada’s current ASEAN Coordinating Country, Baird willhold talks with Minister for Foreign Affairs Kasiviswanathan Shanmugamand Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean. He will also deliver a speechon Canadian engagement in Asia as part of the International Institutefor Strategic Studies’ Fullerton Lecture series.
InIndonesia, which concluded successful presidential elections on July 9,Baird will attend the second ministerial-level Bilateral ConsultativeForum with Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa and meet with ASEANSecretary General Le Luong Minh at the ASEAN Secretariat.
Baird will officially open Canada’s first resident Embassy in Yangon,Myanmar, and participate in his fourth consecutive ASEAN-Canada PostMinisterial Conference. Canada is one of ASEAN’s longest-standingdialogue partners.
He will also make the first-evervisit by a Canadian foreign minister to Timor-Leste, where he will meetwith Foreign Minister José Luis Guterres, President Taur Matan Ruak andPrime Minister Xanana Gusmão.-VNA
This was confirmed by Canadian Minister of Foreign Affairs John Baird,who is on his Asia tour, which will include visits to ASEAN memberstates of Singapore, Indonesia and Myanmar from July 31.
“When Canadians think of our country’s priority relationships in Asia,we tend to think of the dominant regional countries, including Japan,India and China,” Baird was quoted in the Canadian Government’sannouncement dated July 30.
“Those nations areundoubtedly important to us, but we must not ignore the tremendousgrowing opportunities in Southeast Asia and our strengthening ties tothat dynamic and remarkably diverse region,” he added.
In Singapore, Canada’s current ASEAN Coordinating Country, Baird willhold talks with Minister for Foreign Affairs Kasiviswanathan Shanmugamand Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean. He will also deliver a speechon Canadian engagement in Asia as part of the International Institutefor Strategic Studies’ Fullerton Lecture series.
InIndonesia, which concluded successful presidential elections on July 9,Baird will attend the second ministerial-level Bilateral ConsultativeForum with Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa and meet with ASEANSecretary General Le Luong Minh at the ASEAN Secretariat.
Baird will officially open Canada’s first resident Embassy in Yangon,Myanmar, and participate in his fourth consecutive ASEAN-Canada PostMinisterial Conference. Canada is one of ASEAN’s longest-standingdialogue partners.
He will also make the first-evervisit by a Canadian foreign minister to Timor-Leste, where he will meetwith Foreign Minister José Luis Guterres, President Taur Matan Ruak andPrime Minister Xanana Gusmão.-VNA
