PUTRAJAYA, June 3 — Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Dr Zambry Abdul Kadir said today he welcomed the statement made by his French counterpart on the country’s official position to fully support Malaysia’s sovereignty within its internationally-recognised borders.
“I welcome the verbal and written statement made by the Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs of France regarding the official position of the French Government, which fully supports Malaysia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders.
“This further refutes the attempts of any parties who challenge and deny the sovereignty of Malaysia,” he said in a statement today.
The French Foreign Ministry in a statement published on its website earlier today said its minister, Catherine Colonna, “recalled that France recognises the full sovereignty of Malaysia within its internationally recognised borders”, during a bilateral meeting with Zambry in Paris.
Zambry had made a two-day visit to France from June 1 to 2, which was also his maiden working trip to the country since becoming Foreign Minister in December last year.
He said during the bilateral meeting held on June 2, both ministers also took stock of the progress of existing bilateral cooperation and explored more comprehensive and new potential collaboration.
“We agreed that bilateral interaction and cooperation in various sectors, such as education, defence, trade, investment, and health, should continue to be enhanced,” he said.
He added that both he and Colonna also discussed efforts to address regional and international issues of mutual interest, particularly France’s commitment in deepening its development partnership with ASEAN and the worrying situation in Myanmar.
“We are also supportive of a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific region where trade and commerce could prosper,” he said in the statement.
