4 Sep 2008

EU and Pacific Forum to meet for talks later this month

1:41 pm on 4 September 2008

The first ministerial meeting to enhance the political dialogue between the Pacific Islands Forum and the European Union is to be held in Brussels on 16 September.

At a meeting between the EU and the Forum in Tonga last year there was agreement to launch an enhanced dialogue.

The acting secretary general of the Forum, Feleti Teo, says the talks will enable a structured interaction between the two parties to increase the visibility of the EU in the Pacific and the Pacific in the EU.

He says the dialogue should cover issues such as regional security and governance, economic stability and growth, international trade, the environment and development cooperation.