Seven European countries have joined Southeast Asia’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, marking a widening of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ diplomatic reach beyond the region as the Philippines pursues stronger international partnerships during its chairship.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. welcomed the seven new signatories to the regional peace pact on the opening day of the 49th ASEAN Summit at the Philippine International Convention Center on Sunday.
The new signatories are Sweden, Poland, Romania, Lithuania, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Cyprus, which formally acceded to the treaty during the Philippines’ ASEAN chairmanship this year.
“The next task is to ensure that this network delivers greater benefits for our peoples,” Marcos said in his remarks at the opening of the summit’s plenary session.
“We should therefore continue to deepen our partnerships on the basis of mutual benefit, translate comprehensive and strategic partnerships and plans of action into concrete cooperation,” he added.
Established in 1976, the TAC is a legally binding treaty that promotes mutual respect, non-interference, peaceful settlement of disputes and the non-use of force among signatory countries.
It also encourages cooperation to accelerate economic growth through agriculture and industrial development, expanded trade and improved economic infrastructure.
Originally intended to govern relations among Southeast Asian nations, the treaty was opened in 2010 to other countries and regional organizations whose members are sovereign states.
On Aug. 8, the ASEAN Secretariat held a ceremony in Jakarta, Indonesia, to commemorate the treaty’s 50th anniversary.
