L-R: Jean Asselborn, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs; Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand; Credit: MAEE

Luxembourg Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Jean Asselborn today paid an official visit to Bangkok, Thailand.

At the invitation of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand, Don Pramudwinai, Jean Asselborn visited Bangkok, primarily to review bilateral relations, in the light of the preparations for the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Grand Duchy and Thailand which will be celebrated in 2019.

While restrictive measures had been put in place by the European Union and its Member States following the military coup in 2014, the Ministers welcomed the decision of the EU Council, taken in December 2017, estimating that that conditions were now favourable for re-engagement with the Thai authorities as well as the resumption of political contacts at the ministerial level to facilitate a constructive dialogue on issues of importance to both sides, including human rights issues, fundamental freedoms and a return to democracy.

In this context, Minister Asselborn, reiterating the European Union's call for the urgent restoration of the democratic process in Thailand through credible and inclusive elections and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, welcomed the Thai Government's commitment and the recent adoption of the final laws allowing democratic elections to be held by February 2019.

The discussions also touched on several regional issues, including the latest developments in ASEAN, of which Thailand will take the rotating presidency in 2019, as well as the Rohingya crisis in Myanmar, the recent elections in Malaysia and the latest announcements about the Korean peninsula.

During his visit to Bangkok, Minister Asselborn also met with representatives of Human Rights Watch (HRW), the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) and Thai Lawyers for Human Rights to review the current state of affairs civil and political freedoms in Thailand, as well as measures to be taken by the authorities to ensure the holding of credible and inclusive elections and the imminent establishment of a democratically elected civilian government.