(VOVworld) - Italy hopes to deepen its relationship with ASEAN and pledges to work with other members of the EU to promote ASEAN-EU dialogues.

Italian President Sergio Mattarella (Photo: AP/VNA)

At a recent meeting with ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh in Jakarta, Indonesia on Tuesday, Italian President Sergio Mattarella expressed confidence that his visit to regional countries will improve mutually beneficial ties. He said Italy is committed to working with ASEAN in politics, security, trade, investment, and connectivity. Secretary General Minh welcomed the Italian President’s first visit to the ASEAN Secretariat and hailed Italy’s important role in promoting relations between ASEAN and the EU, adding that the agreements reached by the two sides will deepen bilateral relations, including possibly establishing an ASEAN-EU Strategic Partnership. He cited the March decision by ASEAN and EU to resume region-to-region Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations after the launch of the ASEAN Community at the end of this year.