Strengthening bilateral economic, political and security ties with ASEAN
and 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 member
states 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’s
announcement dated July 30.
“Those nations are
undoubtedly important to us, but we must not ignore the tremendous
growing opportunities in Southeast Asia and our strengthening ties to
that dynamic and remarkably diverse region,” he added.
In Singapore, Canada’s current ASEAN Coordinating Country, Baird will
hold talks with Minister for Foreign Affairs Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam
and Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean. He will also deliver a speech
on Canadian engagement in Asia as part of the International Institute
for Strategic Studies’ Fullerton Lecture series.
In
Indonesia, which concluded successful presidential elections on July 9,
Baird will attend the second ministerial-level Bilateral Consultative
Forum with Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa and meet with ASEAN
Secretary 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 Post
Ministerial Conference. Canada is one of ASEAN’s longest-standing
dialogue partners.
He will also make the first-ever
visit by a Canadian foreign minister to Timor-Leste, where he will meet
with Foreign Minister José Luis Guterres, President Taur Matan Ruak and
Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão.-VNA