03/09/2012 (Agence Europe) - Appointment of EEAS Representative for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation. High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton has appointed Ambassador Alexander Spachis, currently serving as Head of Delegation of the European Union in Nepal, also as Representative of the European External Action Service for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the delegation in Nepal announced on 31 August. Spachis said he was “honoured to take up the additional responsibility and looks forward to strengthening the existing cooperation between the European Union and SAARC”. In a letter to the secretary general of SAARC, Ahmed Salim, on 27 August, Ashton said that the EU is pleased to participate in the SAARC and by designating Spachis “we intend to strengthen our relationship”. She added that they looked forward to continuing work with the SAARC member states “with the objective of advancing regional collaboration in South Asia”. (CG/transl.fl)