(VOVworld) - Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his entourage has successfully wrapped up his participation at the 21st ASEAN summit and related summits in Cambodia. Our Current Affairs sheds light on Vietnam’s contributions to strengthening ASEAN’s status.
ASEAN leaders at the 21 summit (VOV) |
ASEAN leaders at their 21st summit committed their resolute determination to build an ASEAN community by 2015, achieve the targets set for the three pillars, especially economic stability. Accordingly, ASEAN aims to narrow the regional development gap and transform into a single market and production base. It will strive to become a region of equitable, sustainable, and highly competitive economic development and a region fully integrated into the global economy. ASEAN leaders stressed to enhance cooperation and connectivity within the bloc and the East Asia. In order to achieve the targets, it requires government efforts, contributions from the private economic sectors and international financial organizations.
ASEAN leaders repeated the need to promote ASEAN’s central role in ensuring a peaceful, stable, secure, and developed environment in the regional cooperative structure and dealing with issues of common concerns. Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh says: “The summit adopted some important declarations including the Phnom Penh Declaration on Human Rights and the 10th Anniversary of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC). The ASEAN leaders agreed to launch the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, aiming to build a peaceful and stable ASEAN. Declarations were signed with China, the US, and Japan on marine cooperation, tourism, transport, and other issues.”
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung led the Vietnamese delegation to the summit with a motto of being active, positive, and responsible in common work. Vietnam respects and actively contributes to enhancing ASEAN’s unity and central role in the region and expanding relations with its partners. Foreign Minister Minh again: "We have initiated ideas to building codes of conduct to maintain regional peace and economic, social, and cultural stability. We also play a part in maintaining a peaceful and stable environment in Southeast Asia, especially the East Sea. We proposed ideas to the ASEAN’s declaration with China and the Declaration on the 10th anniversary of the Declaration Conduct of Parties in the East Sea."
Prime Minister held bilateral talks with leaders of regional partners to deepen cooperative ties.
On this occasion, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Le Luong Minh was selected ASEAN Secretary General in the 2013-2017 term. This is the first a Vietnamese official to be named ASEAN Secretary General, reflecting the country’s increasing role and trust from other ASEAN countries. With Vietnam’s contributions to ASEAN over the last 17 years and Minh’s 30 years of multi-lateral diplomatic experience, the new chief is believed to undertake well his new job to ensure common benefits of ASEAN nations.
The success of the 21th ASEAN summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia has reinforced trust in a cooperative and connected ASEAN with deeper integration and engagement in global issues. ASEAN leaders’ approval of specific steps to build a stronger ASEAN community is a clear message to form a politically cohesive bloc, in which Vietnam plays an active and responsible part.