Havana, September 14 (RHC)-- "Cuba thanks the ten countries of ASEAN for accepting its request to join the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation, which will help deepen our ties with this prestigious regional organization and expand the areas of cooperation with Southeast Asia," Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla wrote on Twitter.

The statement came after the announcement, on September 12, of the admission of the Caribbean island to the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation (TAC) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), made public at a press conference by Vietnam's Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Pham Binh Minh, following the conclusion of the 53rd Meeting of Foreign Ministers of the regional organization.

Cuba and ASEAN member states maintain traditional ties of friendship and cooperation in different spheres and coincide in defense of the United Nations Charter's purposes and principles.

Cuba is celebrating this year the 60th anniversary of establishing diplomatic relations with several ASEAN member states.

The regional bloc has kept its unwavering support for the resolution against the blockade adopted every year at the UN General Assembly.

On August 8, 1967, ASEAN was founded in Bangkok, Thailand, and is made up of ten countries: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

In its 53rd Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, held in virtual format under the rotating presidency of Vietnam, it was agreed to also grant the status of association for development to France and Italy. At the same time, Colombia and Cuba were admitted to the TAC, informed the VNA agency.