After ASEAN today agreed to accept Turkey as its new dialogue partner, ASEAN member states also unanimously agreed to appoint Malaysia as the country coordinator for ASEAN-Turkey relations.
Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan pointed out that these two decisions were reached at the plenary session held during the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM), Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC) and related meetings.
"We welcome Turkey as ASEAN's new dialogue partner. Previously, during our (Malaysia's) chairmanship of ASEAN, Turkey had already been accepted, and ASEAN country leaders had conducted studies at the secretariat, foreign minister, and official levels."
"Because we set strict conditions for accepting other countries as new members or dialogue partners, we have already completed the relevant procedures, and all countries have agreed to the standards we set."
He said this during an interview with Bernama after attending the plenary session of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Manila.
Records show that during Malaysia's ASEAN chairmanship in 2025, it had proposed to include Turkey as an ASEAN dialogue partner.
In addition, Mohamad Hasan mentioned that at the plenary session, ASEAN also agreed to accept the United Kingdom as a new member of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
He said the meeting also discussed the role of ASEAN member states in strengthening the implementation of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045.
"The ASEAN Secretary-General (Dr. Kao Kim Hourn) also reported on the latest progress regarding the ASEAN Community Vision 2045."
He said that the role played by ASEAN in dealing with the current uncertain geopolitical and geoeconomic situation was also one of the matters discussed at the meeting.
"The ASEAN Community must continue to maintain our centrality because this is the core of ASEAN's strength. We do not want any attempts to undermine ASEAN's centrality. Therefore, we must make every effort to ensure ASEAN's centrality is maintained."