ASEM foreign ministers issue President Statement

The 12th Foreign Ministerial Meeting (FMM) of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) issued a President Statement at its closing ceremony in Luxembourg on November 6.

The statement conveys a message of determinedly strengthening cooperation for peace, stability, development and prosperity in the two continents and the world. It also outlines orientations for the ASEM for the next decade.

During the two-day meeting, ministers adopted new initiatives proposed by member states and a proposal to establish two working groups in charge of realising the 2015-2016 cooperation plans.

The Vietnamese delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son, proposed the organisation of the “ASEM conference on natural disaster management and mitigation: innovations and technologies for sustainable development and self-resilience”, which received warm response from many ASEM member countries.

In an interview granted to a Vietnam News Agency reporter, Son said the meeting agreed on facilitating ASEM dialogue and the 2030 agenda on sustainable development, including poverty reduction, response to climate change and natural disasters, food security, water resources management, capacity building and technology transfer.

Ministers also reached a new global consensus on mitigating disaster risks and underscored the strengthening of the Asia-Europe connectivity across infrastructure, institution and human aspects, towards the sustainable and uniform economic growth.

They agreed to resume the senior officials’ meeting on trade and investment, considering it a means to revive economic cooperation that has been stalled over the past decade.

On regional and global issues, they stressed the significance of maintaining maritime security and safety; refraining from unilateral actions, the use of force or threat to use force; the peaceful settlement of disputes in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

According to the Vietnamese official, participants spoke highly of Vietnam’s practical initiatives to boost ASEM’s efforts in narrowing development gap, strengthening Greater Mekong Sub-region connectivity as well as new and creative approaches to sustainable development, food security, water resources and energy.

The meeting hailed Vietnam’s appeal for increasing dialogue, coordination and building strategic trust for peace, security and stability in Southeast Asia, including the East Sea.

What Vietnam contributed to the ASEM and the ASEM’s FMM has raised its stature, Son stressed.

At the closing ceremony, participants applauded the hosting of the 13 th FMM in an ASEAN member country in 2017 as well as the 11 th ASEM Summit in Ulanbato, Mongolia and celebrations for the 20 th founding anniversary of ASEM in 2016.-VNA