By Ibrahim Khazen
ISTANBUL (AA) – Kuwait on Monday signed a treaty for inter-trade relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) was signed by Deputy Foreign Minister Sheikh Jarrah Jaber Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Kuwait is the second Gulf country after Saudi Arabia to sign TAC. Riyadh inked the treaty in July.
The signing ceremony was held on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit and Related Summits in Jakarta, Indonesia.
“The growing number of the High Contracting Parties reflects the importance and relevance of the TAC in the current regional and global contexts,” the ASEAN said in a statement.
TAC is a legally-binding code for inter-trade relations between the member states of ASEAN, which is a political economic grouping that includes 10 countries; Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Laos.
The treaty includes more than 40 partner countries with ASEAN nations.
Established in 1967, the ASEAN aims to accelerate economic growth in Southeast Asia and establish a free trade area among member states.
*Writing by Ikram Kouachi