New Zealand has informed ASEAN of its readiness to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia.

In his letter dated 29 June 2005 to Lao PDR’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Somsavat Lengsavad, who is Chairman of the 38th ASEAN Standing Committee, New Zealand’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Phil Goff stated that “the Government of New Zealand wishes to accede to the Treaty”.

He also stated that “the Government of New Zealand is pleased to note that accession to the Treaty will further strengthen our substantive ties with ASEAN, and will be an especially appropriate marker of the 30th anniversary of our Dialogue Partnership this year.”

The Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister will inform his colleagues in ASEAN of the New Zealand’s wish.  Consent of all Southeast Asian States Parties to the Treaty is needed for accession by a non-regional State.

To date the following have acceded to the Treaty on friendly relations and cooperation :  Papua New Guinea, China, India, Japan, Pakistan, the RoK, and Russia.

Mongolia has also recently expressed its wish to accede to the Treaty.