The Minister of Foreign Affairs Konstantinos Kombos represented the Republic of Cyprus and the Presidency of the Council of the EU at the 25th EU-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Brunei, highlighting the strategic importance of Southeast Asia for the Europe and Cyprus.
“I am in Brunei today, representing the Republic of Cyprus, but also as the Presidency of the European Union,” said Mr Kobos, pointing out that the region has almost 700 million inhabitants and an economy of around 4 trillion. He added that Southeast Asia has long been included in the strategic planning of the Republic of Cyprus.
Bilateral contacts with four counterparts
On the sidelines of the Summit, Mr. Kombos held bilateral meetings with the Foreign Ministers of Singapore, East Timor, the Philippines and Brunei.
With the Minister of Brunei, Dato Erivan Yusof, he discussed opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation, issues of stability and security of energy and trade flows, and expressed appreciation for the contribution of Brunei as the ASEAN Coordinating Country for the ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations (2024-2027).
He called his meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Dr. Vivian Balakrishnan, focusing on maritime and energy security, as well as EU-Singapore relations.
International law and common commitments
In the meeting with the Minister of East Timor, Bendito dos Santos Freitas, the two sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to international law, sovereignty and territorial integrity. Mr. Kombos also congratulated his counterpart on the country’s accession to ASEAN.
With Philippine Foreign Minister Maria Teresa Lazaro, discussions focused on the strong ties between the peoples of the two countries, freedom of navigation and the promotion of EU-ASEAN relations.
