Together with other ASEAN countries, the Vietnamese delegation regrets
that the 45 th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-45) failed to
issue its joint communique.
The statement was made on July 13 by
Pham Quang Vinh, Deputy Foreign Minister and Head of the Vietnamese
senior official meeting (SOM) delegation, in response to Vietnamese
reporters’ question on the failure in issuing the conference’s joint communique.
The communique is expected to reflect the process of
discussion and positive outcomes reached in meetings of ASEAN and
between ASEAN and its partners, according to Vinh.
During the
discussion of the joint communique, ASEAN countries, particularly the
ASEAN Foreign Ministers, exerted efforts to find out the most suitable
formulas to reflect the common interest of the member nations, and had
many chances to reach a consensus and unanimity, Vinh said.
However,
the deputy FM said, it is regrettable that the above-said positive,
constructive efforts of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers and opportunities to
reach a consensus were missed.
Vietnam believes whether the
joint communique is issued or not, the existing ASEAN decisions still
have to be strictly implemented. More than ever, ASEAN countries should
uphold their responsibility, maintain and strengthen the ASEAN
solidarity, and bring into play the group’s key role in and
contributions to prioritised and essential issues of ASEAN and the
region, especially the building of the Community, he stressed.
ASEAN
needs to promote regional links and connectivity and build an
environment of peace, stability, security and cooperation, enhance
relations with partners, and effectively cope with emerging challenges
for peace, stability, security, cooperation and development in the
region, Vinh added.-VNA