Brussels, 01/08/2007 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday 1 August, EU High Representative for the CFSP Javier Solana praised the energy and vigour of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) as a regional organisation. The creation of a single market by 2015 or the adoption of an ASEAN Charter illustrates this vitality, he stressed at the opening of the post-ministerial ASEAN meeting in Manila. “We see this regional association as the beginning of something big”, Mr Solana said referring to the resolve to found an ASEAN economic community. He went on to say that, after 30 years of existence, relations between the EU and ASEAN come within a “new dynamic”. The ten Asian ASEAN member nations (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam) and several regional partners (such as China, South Korea and Japan) or global partners (including the USA, Russia and the EU) are continuing their annual meetings on Thursday within the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) dedicated to security issues in particular. (ab)