KUALA LUMPUR: More countries are showing interest towards being part of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in South-East Asia (TAC), says Wisma Putra.
Foreign Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin said the TAC currently has 55 parties.
"At the senior officials and foreign ministers level, we are still continuing efforts to finalise the participation of several other countries that have voiced interest in joining the TAC.
"The process is finalised for several countries but they have yet to sign it. There are a few countries and we can share the details later.
"There are also two or three countries that have expressed interest to join," he told the press during a curtain raiser session ahead of the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings on Sunday (July 6).
He also said the TAC can be seen as an avenue towards opening more room for cooperation between foreign and Asean countries.
The TAC was established in 1976 and embodies universal principles of peaceful coexistence and friendly cooperation among States in Southeast Asia.
It is a legally binding code for inter-state relations in the region and beyond.
The Treaty has been amended three times in 1987, 1998 and 2010 respectively, to allow for accession by states outside South-East Asia as well as for regional organisations whose members are sovereign states, among others.
Separately, Amran confirmed that all foreign ministers would be attending the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings.
"All our dialogue partners will be represented by their respective foreign ministers, he said.
Malaysia will host the 58th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting (58th AMM) and Related Meetings, which will take place at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) from July 8 to 11.
