Foreign Minister Dr Miro Cerar meets Foreign Minister of Singapore Dr Vivian Balakrishnan at ASEM meeting in Madrid

16. 12. 2019

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

The talks focused on bilateral and multilateral cooperation of the two countries, the situation in Asia and some topical international developments. The ministers advocated for enhanced relations between their respective countries at various levels, underlining the need to strengthen cooperation in the economy and science. They also outlined the advantages of the Port of Koper as the leading Northern Adriatic port.

Minister Dr Miro Cerar with the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Singapore, Dr Vivian Balakrishnan

1 / 2

The ministers also discussed the cooperation within international organisations, concurring that the cooperation between their countries in the multilateral sphere is excellent. In this context, they welcomed the activities of the Green Group, which was founded in 2009 at Slovenia's initiative and is composed of six countries, including Singapore. They welcomed the new impetus in the Group's operations, within which the countries will be cooperating in three common areas: sustainable development, circular economy promotion and biodiversity protection.

The ministers welcomed the signing of the EU-Singapore free trade agreement, which opens up new opportunities for enhancing economic cooperation between Slovenia and Singapore.

They went on to exchange views on the current developments in Asia and the key challenges facing the region. At the end of the meeting, they exchanged invitations to visit Singapore and Slovenia, respectively.