Norway Optimistic In Establishing Formal Partnership With ASEAN - FM

By Nik Nurfaqih Nik Wil and Faizal Hassan KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 4 (Bernama) -- Norway is optimistic in establishing a formal partnership with ASEAN to broaden its presence in the region, according to its Foreign Minister Borge Brende. He said Norway had a very clear intention on enhancing collaboration with the regional grouping. "I'm optimistic that we will find constructive ways in the coming months, at least with the support from Malaysia," he told Bernama after a bilateral meeting with Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman on the sidelines of the 48th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting(AMM) here. ASEAN, which is currently considering applications from Norway, Ecuador, North Korea and Mongolia to establish formal partnership with the bloc, had formalised partnership with several countries including Australia, China, Canada, European Union, New Zealand, South Korea and Pakistan. Describing the bloc as one of the most important regional organisations in the world with huge economic opportunities, Brende said Norway had engaged in partnership with many ASEAN countries particularly in terms of development. "With the growing economic opportunities in ASEAN, we believe we will see even more Norwegian companies in all kinds of sectors like oil and gas, fertiliser and the maritime sector," he said. Currently there were about 250 Norwegian companies in the region with 50 investing in Kuala Lumpur, he said, adding that he was also positive that the number would grow considering the huge economic opportunities in the region. Meanwhile, Bernama learnt that an assessment on a European country, which had expressed interest to join ASEAN as a partner, had been completed. According to a high ranking official, it was now up to the ASEAN leaders to decide on whether or not to accept the application. "We've one country, assessment already done. I can't mention (the country) now. ASEAN leaders need to decide on it since the application and proposal have already been made," he told Bernama after a Senior Officials' Meeting, which had also discussed applications by other countries to join ASEAN as partners. For the record, ASEAN categorised its partners as fully dialogue partnership (formal partnership), sectoral dialogue partnership and development partnership. -- BERNAMA