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MDHIAN 6131
EC-ASEAN RELATIONS WAS BOTH FORESIGHTED AND ADVANTAGEOUS FOR
ALL PARTNERS.
THE MINISTERS WERE ENCOURAGED BY THE POSITIVE RESULTS
OF CONSULTATIONS BETWEEN THE EC AND ASEAN SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE ASEAN-EC MINISTERIAL MEETING IN 1978. THE MINISTERS REAFFIRMED THE DESIRABILITY IN THE FUTURE OF HAVING CLOSE AND PERIODIC CONSULTATIONS ON ISSUES OF MUTUAL NTEREST, WHICH WOULD CONTRIBUTE FURTHER TO THE STRENGTHENING OF THE EXISTING COOPERATIVE RELATIONS BETWEEN
THE TWO REGIONAL GROUPINGS.
4.
CULTURAL RELATIONS
EC-ASEAN
THE MINISTERS AGREED TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN CULTURAL TIES. IN THIS CONTEXT, EMPHASIS SHOULD BE GIVEN BOTH TO THE COOPERATION BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE COOPERATION IN THE
FIELD OF SCIENCES IN GENERAL.
INTERNATIONAL POLITICAL ISSUES
5.
EAST-WEST RELATIONS
THE MINISTERS DISCUSSED EAST-WEST RELATIONS. THEY NOTED WITH SATISFACTION SIGNS OF IMPROVEMENT IN EAST-WEST RELATIONS. THEY VOICED THEIR EXPECTATION THAT THIS SHOULD HAVE A POSITIVE EFFECT ON THE SOLUTION OF REGIONAL CONFLICTS AS PARTICULARLY AFGHANISTAN AND CAMBODIA. THE MINISTERS EXPRESSED THEIR READINESS TO ACTIVELY CONTRIBUTE TO SUCH
SOLUTIONS.
6.
DISARMAMENT AND ARMS CONTROL
THE MINISTERS WELCOMED THE INF TREATY AS A MILESTONE, BEING THE FIRST AGREEMENT BY WHICH THE UNITED STATES AND THE
SOVIET UNION HAVE DECIDED TO REDUCE THEIR NUCLEAR ARSENALS.
THEY HOPE THAT THIS AGREEMENT WILL BE FOLLOWED BY OTHERS AND
WILL THUS BE BENEFICIAL TO OTHER FIELDS OF ARMS CONTROL. THE PROSPECT OF A START AGREEMENT REDUCING THE STRATEGIC NUCLEAR WEAPONS OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE SOVIET UNION WAS WELCOMED BY MINISTERS AS SIGNIFICANT ALSO FOR EUROPE AND ASIA.
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