Ukraine to take part in special ASEAN conference, in first - Ambassador

The diplomat spoke of this in an interview with Ukrinform.

"An important event will be held in Jakarta on June 26 for the first time - a conference of ambassadors of countries that have joined the TAC (Treaty of Amity and Cooperation - ed.) in Southeast Asia," Hamianin said.

He explained that in 2022, Ukraine became the 50th country to sign the agreement. However, not all states that joined it are ASEAN partners.

"This year, member states decided that it is somehow wrong that the nations that joined the Treaty do not participate in any events, and for the first time organized a special event for all the signatories. I hope I will have the opportunity to speak. We are working on that," the ambassador noted.

Hamianin specified that he would speak of Ukraine’s cooperation with ASEAN and support in acquiring the status of a sectoral dialogue partner. He will also address Russian aggression, he stressed.

According to the ambassador, a powerful process aimed at having Ukraine obtain the status of ASEAN’s sectoral dialogue partner is underway. This would enable Ukraine to establish partnerships in various sectors – trade, economy, investment, information technology, security, humanitarian demining, education, etc.

"This is very important from a practical perspective because many effective projects can be promoted through ASEAN. We have already started to do this in the areas of information technology, food security, and maintaining peace in the region. Therefore, the more Ukraine will be in ASEAN, the less Russia will remain there," the diplomat emphasized.

As reported, in November 2022, during a visit to Cambodia, Minister for Foreign Affairs Dmytro Kuleba signed the Instrument of Accession to the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Southeast Asia on behalf of Ukraine.

Ukraine started the process of joining the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Southeast Asia back in 2017.

In December 2023, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Law on Ukraine's Accession to the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.