site.btaGovernment to Declare Bulgaria’s Intention to Join Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia

At its final meeting of the year on Tuesday, the Council of Ministers adopted a decision to formally express to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Bulgaria’s intention to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).

Signed in 1976, the TAC is a cornerstone document of ASEAN, the leading organization in the dynamic region of Southeast Asia. The Treaty promotes peace, stability, and cooperation both within the region and beyond, and its principles are consistent with the objectives of the European Union’s Common Foreign and Security Policy. In addition to the 11 ASEAN member states, more than 40 countries from Europe and other regions have joined the Treaty to date. The European Union itself has been a party to the TAC since 2012.

The decision is expected to strengthen cooperation with ASEAN and its member states and to support Bulgaria’s active engagement in the EU–ASEAN Strategic Partnership.