Uzbekistan joins ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia

Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.com) — Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have approved Uzbekistan’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in the region, the Dunyо news agency reports.

The initiative was proposed by the President of Uzbekistan. After nearly a year of preparations and negotiations, the decision was endorsed at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Kuala Lumpur, chaired by Malaysia.

The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia was signed on 24 February 1976 in Bali, Indonesia, and establishes the fundamental principles of interaction among the region’s countries. ASEAN currently includes 11 member states with a combined population of around 700 million.

Uzbekistan’s accession to the treaty opens new opportunities for government-level cooperation, the development of trade, economic, and investment ties, and strengthening foreign companies’ confidence in the country.