Hanoi, July 1 (VNA) – Norway on July 1 signed an amity and cooperation treaty with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Brunei, vowing to further develop ties with the 10-member regional bloc.
Norwegian Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide affirmed that the accession to the treaty is an extension of Norway ’s long-standing engagement in the region and its commitments to multilateralism.
The minister announced a 7-million-USD Norwegian ASE AN Regional Initiatives Fund as a step to further his country’s engagement with ASEAN.
The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia is a pact on non-aggression and cooperation between ASEAN members and partners.
First signed by the then ASEAN members of Indonesia , Malaysia , Thailand , Singapore and the Philippines in 1976, the non-ASEAN parties to the treaty include China , India , Japan , the United States , Russia and the European Union.
ASEAN groups Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Singapore , Thailand and Vietnam.
Vietnam News Agency
