KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 23 — Malaysia strongly feels that the elevation of dialogue relations between Asean and European Union (EU) to strategic partnership should be deferred.

Foreign Ministry in a statement yesterday said that its minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah had pointed out Malaysia’s stand on measures taken by the EU which affected the palm oil industry in palm oil producing countries in the Asean region.

"The foreign minister also expressed Malaysia’s hope for Asean and EU to continue strengthening their relations as underlined in the Asean-EU Action Plan (2018-2022).

"Foreign Ministers from Asean and EU countries have agreed in policy to elevate the Asean-EU dialogue relations to strategic partnership. However, the details and the time will have to be decided later following the issues raised by Indonesia and Malaysia,” the statement said,

It added that the ministers also welcomed the setting up of a joint working group between EU and the relevant Asean member countries to study the issues concerning palm oil. — Bernama