ASEAN Handshake
(L to R) Ambassador of Malaysia H.E. Mr. Ahmad Fadil Bin Shamsuddin, President of the Center for International Relations (CIR) Dr. Małgorzata Bonikowska, Ambassador Beata Stoczynska, Poland’s Foreign Undersecretary of State Mr. Marek Magierowski, Ambassador of the Philippines H.E. Ms. Patricia Ann Paez, Ambassador of Indonesia H. E. Mr. Peter Frans Gontha, Ambassador of Vietnam H.E. Mr. Vu Dang Dung and Charge d’Affaires of the Royal Thai Embassy Minister Counsellor Tachaphorn Suntrajarn

(L to R) 2nd from left: Ambassador of the Republic of Korea H.E. Mr. Sung Joo Choi,
Ambassador of Japan H.E. Mr. Shigeo Matsutomi and Ambassador of China H.E. Mr. Xu Jian

ASEAN Ambassadors with Mr. Jerzy Pietrucha (3rd from left), President and CEO of the Pietrucha Group which invested at the Freeport Area of Bataan in the Philippines and Mr. Robert Kurowski, Manager of Pietrucha Philippines

Poland’s Foreign Undersecretary of State Marek Magierowski stressed that there is significant and unexploited potential in the European Union’s relations with ASEAN and Poland is interested in tapping this. Undersecretary Magierowski mentioned the re-opening of the Polish Embassy in Manila as one of the ways by which Poland would be able to accomplish this.

The Foreign Undersecretary of State made this statement during the Seminar on ASEAN @ 50 held on 13 September 2017 at the Palace on the Isle.

The Seminar is one of the activities lined up by the ASEAN Committee in Warsaw (ACW), presently chaired by Ambassador of the Philippines Ms. Patricia Ann V. Paez, to celebrate the ASEAN’s 50th founding anniversary.

Undersecretary Magierowski also lauded ASEAN for its contribution to peace and prosperity in the Southeast Asian region, and the high regard given to ASEAN and its various mechanisms as a forum for discussing important issues.

The seminar on ASEAN was also an opportunity for the members of the ACW, composed of the Ambassadors of the five ASEAN Member States resident in Poland: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam to talk about the significant accomplishments of ASEAN, the ASEAN Community and its three pillars, the priorities of PHL’ chairmanship, and future prospects for further engagement between the European Union and ASEAN.

An open forum was moderated by Dr. Małgorzata Bonikowska, president of the Centre for International Relations, the ACW’s partner for the seminar. END