Italy eyes stronger relations with ASEAN trading bloc

Bangkok: Italy will seek to boost its relations with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations trading bloc, its Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano said on Friday during a visit to the region.

"Italy wants to strengthen relations with ASEAN and will organise the 2nd High Level Dialogue ASEAN-Italy Economic Relations in Singapore in April," said Alfano in a tweet about his remarks during a meeting here with his Thai counterpart Don Pramudwina ahead of a meeting with Thai premier Prayuth Chan-O-Cha.

Earlier on Friday, Alfano addressed the Italian-Thai Business Forum in Bangkok together with Italy's Ambassador to Thailand, Francesco Saverio Nisio.

"Discussed with CEOs accounting for over 50 percent of Thai GDP the excellent investment opportunities in Thailand in a wide range of sectors including energy transition and promotion of clean fuel and gas," he tweeted.

Alfano was on the final leg of a three-day trip to southeast Asia that took in Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.

"Extremely satisfied at the quality discussions held with the political and business leaders in Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand," read an earlier tweet.

Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand are all members of ASEAN, whose ten members' GDP is $2.3 trillion.

--IANS inputs