23 September 2014 - The Philippine Embassy in Berne, together with the other five embassies of member states of the Association of Southeast Nations (ASEAN), jointly held a reception in commemoration of the organization's 47th Founding Anniversary and to formally launch the formation of the ASEAN Parliamentary Group of Switzerland.
The event was held on 23 September 2014 at the Grande Societe de Berne with guests from the Swiss Parliament representing the various political parties in Switzerland.
Philippine Ambassador Leslie J. Baja, as the current ASEAN Coordinator in Switzerland, noted that this is the first time that ASEAN Heads of Missions in Switzerland interfaced as a group with members of the Swiss Parliament. The Ambassadors of Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand joined Ambassador Baja in the event.
Ambassador Baja highlighted the ever-increasing interaction of Switzerland with ASEAN, citing Switzerland’s appointment of its first Ambassador to ASEAN in 2009 and the region’s strong support for the Swiss bid for membership to the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) in 2012.
“We, in ASEAN, welcome Switzerland’s growing interest in becoming more engaged in our region through the ASEAN and ASEM process, and we hope that this will equally find resonance and increasing support from the Members of Parliament,” said Ambassador Baja.
Mr. Thomas Aeschi, member of the Nationalrat or the Lower House and President of the Parliamentary Friendship Group on Relations with ASEAN States, delivered the message of the Swiss government, highlighting the progress that ASEAN has achieved as a regional organization and its growing importance in international economic and regional affairs.
He cited the exceptional levels of economic development of ASEAN with an integrated economy doubling to USD 10 billion in the last ten years. This, said Mr. Aeschi, presents great opportunity for Switzerland to look to Southeast Asia to further expand Swiss-ASEAN trade relations.
Mr. Aeschi likewise took to opportunity to formally announce to the ASEAN Ambassadors present that the ASEAN Parliamentary Group to date has more than 50 Swiss lawmakers as members (out of a total of 246 members in both houses of parliament).
Ms. Kathy Riklin, President of the Swiss delegation to the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) remarked that ASEAN is a valuable partner for the promotion of free trade and economic integration to the mutual benefit of ASEAN and EFTA’s four Member States (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland).
A wide array of ASEAN dishes and delicacies were served with each ASEAN Embassy bringing their respective national dishes. The Philippine Embassy served traditional chicken adobo for main dish and cassava cake for dessert, both of which were very much appreciated by the guests.
