TNAG-1791-FCO40-2551-Hong-Kong-Vietnamese-refugees-repatriation--including-Opera-1988 — Page 19

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125002 MDLIAN 2045

HAS

PEOPLES OF EUROPE AND THAT THE ASEAN SUMMIT IN MANILA

ADOPTED AN IMPORTANT PROGRAMME FOR FURTHER ACTION, IT HAS BECOME PARTICULARLY EVIDENT THAT THE ESTBLISHMENT OF

EC-A SEAN 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 INTEREST, WHICH WOULD CONTRIBUTE FURTHER TO THE

STRENGTHENING OF THE EXISTING COOPERATIVE RELATIONS BETWEEN THE TWO REGIONAL GROUPINGS.

4.

CULTURAL RELATIONS

THE MINISTERS AGREED TO FURTHER STRENGTHEN EC-ASEAN 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. 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

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