Brunei, Brunei. Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos on Monday held a series of meetings with counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) on the sidelines of the EU-Asean ministerial meeting.
Cyprus presence in Southeast Asia
In a social media post, Kombos said the representation highlighted the importance of Southeast Asia as a strategic priority for both Europe and Cyprus. He said Cyprus remained consistently present and was strengthening its diplomatic footprint in a region of geopolitical and economic importance.
Meeting with Brunei
Kombos first met Brunei’s second minister of foreign affairs, Dato Erwan Yusof, and thanked him for holding the meeting. He said they reviewed relations between Cyprus and Brunei and identified opportunities to expand bilateral engagement.
He said regional developments were also discussed, including issues related to stability, connectivity and the security of energy and trade flows. Kombos added that with Cyprus currently holding the Council of the European Union’s rotating presidency, Cyprus would continue working closely with Brunei and Asean partners to advance relations.
Meeting with Singapore
Kombos met Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, discussing bilateral relations and the potential to deepen cooperation in areas of mutual economic and strategic interest.
Meeting with Timor-Leste
Kombos met Timor-Leste Foreign Minister Bendito dos Santos Freitas, saying they reaffirmed a shared commitment to international law, sovereignty and territorial integrity. He said they also discussed ways to develop relations between Cyprus and Timor-Leste, including through enhanced cooperation in multilateral fora and in areas such as the blue economy.
Meeting with Laos
Kombos’ final meeting of the day was with Laotian Foreign Minister Thongsavanh Phomvihane, with whom he discussed bilateral relations, among other matters.
What developments do you expect from Cyprus’ engagement with Asean partners?
