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(VOVworld) - Vietnam took over the post of coordinator between ASEAN and the EU on Sunday. This year, the two blocs will mark the 35th anniversary of bilateral talks and Vietnam and the EU have now signed the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement and begun negotiations on a Free Trade Agreement. Vietnam is making every effort to raise relations between ASEAN and the EU to a new level, benefiting all the countries involved and enhancing the EU’s support for an ASEAN Community by 2015.
Nguyen Tien Minh, Director of the ASEAN Department at the Foreign Ministry said that Vietnam has prepared carefully for the coordinator role. Vietnam’s priority in its new position is for both blocs to implement the ASEAN - EU working plan on trade and investment and boost negotiations on a bilateral FTA. Minh says ‘Vietnam will step up consultations with both ASEAN and the EU to identify their aspirations and fulfill its role as a bridge linking the blocs together. Vietnam will also encourage the EU to be politically committed and to contribute to the comprehensive ties that already exist between ASEAN and the EU’.