Italy eyes stronger ties with ASEAN

Bangkok Feb 10 (IANS/AKI) Italy will seek to boost its relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations trading bloc its Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said on Friday during a visit to the region.

"Italy wants to strengthen relations with ASEAN and will organise the 2nd High Level Dialogue ASEAN-Italy Economic Relations in Singapore in April " said Alfano in a tweet about his remarks during a meeting here with his Thai counterpart Don Pramudwina ahead of a meeting with Thai premier Prayuth Chan-O-Cha.

Earlier on Friday Alfano addressed the Italian-Thai Business Forum in Bangkok together with Italy s Ambassador to Thailand Francesco Saverio Nisio.

"Discussed with CEOs accounting for over 50 percent of Thai GDP the excellent investment opportunities in Thailand in a wide range of sectors including energy transition and promotion of clean fuel and gas " he tweeted.

Alfano was on the final leg of a three-day trip to southeast Asia that took in Indonesia Singapore and Thailand.

"Extremely satisfied at the quality discussions held with the political and business leaders in Indonesia Singapore and Thailand " read an earlier tweet.

Indonesia Singapore and Thailand are all members of ASEAN whose ten members GDP is $2.3 trillion.

--IANS/AKI
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