The Deputy Foreign Minister for international economic relations, Dimitris Mardas, participated today in the Ministerial Meeting between the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which is taking place in Bangkok.
In his intervention, Mr. Mardas highlighted, among other things, that, in the context of the effort to create a Free Trade Zone between the ASEAN states and the EU, national policies that introduce non-tariff measures are a hindrance to the development of trade. With regard to the migration issue, the Deputy Minister stressed that national policies must be compatible with the Treaty of Lisbon, which introduces solidarity within the EU, collective action and the sharing of burdens and responsibilities.
On the margins of the Meeting, Mr. Mardas had bilateral meetings with the heads of delegations from the Souteast Asian states. Specifically, Mr. Mardas met with the Foreign Minister of Myanmar, U Kyaw Tin, and with the Foreign Minister of Vietnam, Nguyen Quoc Dung, while later today he is scheduled to meet with the Deputy Foreign Minister of Thailand. Mr. Mardas exchanged views with his collocutors on bilateral economic issues, putting particular emphasis on the potential for expanding bilateral trade through the development of relations between Greek chambers of commerce and the corresponding agencies in these countries.
On the occasion of the passing of the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej, Deputy Minister Mardas went to the Thai Foreign Ministry, where signed the condolence book that has been opened for this purpose.
The Deputy Foreign Minister’s next stop, following Thailand, is the Republic of Korea, where he will meet with his counterpart and co-chair of the Greek-South Korean Joint Interministerial Committee (JIC), Lee Tae-Ho, with whom he will discuss the progress on issues agreed upon at the previous JIC, in May of this year.
November 14, 2016