The European Union has paid special attention to increase ties withASEAN and countries in the region, President of the European CouncilHerman Van Rompuy said at a meeting with representatives from theASEAN Committee of Permanent Representatives (CPR) in Jakarta onNovember 19.

The union hopes the bilateral ties will be upgradedto strategic partnership in the near future, thus promoting theirlong-term mutual benefit relations, he added.

He spoke of theleading role played by ASEAN in maintaining peace, security andstability and promoting democracy and development in Southeast Asia, andthe Asia-Pacific region in general. He reaffirmed that the EU willcontinue to support ASEAN in building the ASEAN Community on threepillars of politics-security, economics and culture-society, as well asback ASEAN’s centre role at forums.

The EU official suggested thetwo sides enhance their coordination to address non-traditionalsecurity challenges such as natural disaster, climate change, navigationsecurity and transnational crime.

He said the union supportsexisting cooperation mechanisms on promoting regional security betweenASEAN and its partners as well as applauding joint efforts by the blocand the parties concerned towards the early conclusion of a Code ofConduct in the East Sea (COC).

Regarding economic ties, Rompuysaid as ASEAN’s third largest trade partner, the union will activelynegotiate free trade agreements (FTA) with ASEAN’s member nationstowards shaping an ASEAN-EU free trade area after the formation of theASEAN Economic Community in 2015.

During the meeting,participants focused their discussions on integration priorities andplans to build a post-2015 ASEAN Community as well as orientations fortheir ties.-VNA