Directorate General for the countries of Asia, Oceania, the Pacific and Antarctica

With the support of the Directorates with responsibility for the issues in question, the Directorate General handles the analysis, definition and implementation of bilateral diplomatic activity between Italy and the individual countries in the area concerned, on the basis of the priorities and objectives set by the foreign policy guidelines. In particular it handles the following:

1. promotion of political, economic, cultural and any other aspects of bilateral relations between Italy and the individual countries of the area;
2. bilateral negotiations between Italy and the countries of the area in the above-mentioned issues;
3. the domestic situation of the individual countries of the area and developments in their foreign policy;
4. overseeing Italy's participation in the activities of cooperation agencies and international organisations in the region.

The Directorate General for the countries of Asia, Oceania, the Pacific and Antarctica is divided into four Offices, each of which carries out the above functions with respect to the countries and regional and sub-regional bodies set out below:

• Office I (Southern Asia): Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka;
• Office II (South East Asia, Oceania, Pacific, and Antarctica): Australia, Brunei, Cambodia, East Timor, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Indonesia, Kiribati, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nauru, New Zealand, Palau, Papua-New Guinea, Philippines, Solomon Islands, Western Samoa, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu, and Vietnam;
• Office III (Far East): Japan, Mongolia, People's Republic of China (including the Hong Kong and Macao Special Administrative Regions), Republic of Korea, Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea, economic, trade and cultural relations with the Island of Taiwan;
• Office IV (Regional cooperation): Regional and sub-regional organisations: Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Asian Regional Forum (ARF), South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), Northeast Asia Security Dialogue (NEASD), Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM), Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC); Asian Development Bank; Antarctic System; relations with international bodies and Asian studies centres; Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP).

These offices also cover Italian participation in CFSP working groups for any questions regarding the countries they cover.