Vientiane (VNA) - The 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-57) and related meetings have left many marks of a connected and resilient ASEAN, said Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet, who led the Vietnamese delegation to the event in Vientiane, Laos.
Talking to the press after the events, the Vietnamese official said countries highly valued the leading role of Laos as the Chair of ASEAN and support the bloc's key focus and priorities for 2024.
According to Deputy FM Viet, connectivity was clearly reflected in each activity at AMM-57 and related meetings, with countries highlighting solidarity and trust as the prerequisite for ASEAN's success.
For Vietnam, this event marked the sincere and moving sentiments of other countries towards Vietnam during the time of national mourning for Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, Viet said, noting that The Message of Condolences on the passing of the Vietnamese Party leader issued by senior leaders of ASEAN countries on July 24 is a profound and meaningful testament to this.
According to Viet, in relations between ASEAN and its partners, connectivity is demonstrated through efforts to expand cooperation in areas of digital economy, green transition, and supply chain resilience, as well as to enhance regional connectivity in infrastructure, institutions, and people. In this direction, many documents and initiatives have been promoted during this occasion, such as the ASEAN-UK Joint Ministerial Statement on Enhancing Connectivity for a Prosperous and Sustainable Future; the ASEAN-India Fund for Digital Future; the Green Initiative, and the ASEAN-EU Sustainable Connectivity Package (SCOPE).
The meetings also clearly demonstrated efforts to promote ASEAN's connectivity on a wider scope. The bloc's principles and norms of conduct continue to be highlighted, affirming ASEAN's role and contributions both regionally and globally, Viet said.
He stated that the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 hosted by Vietnam in April 2024 was highly appreciated by the countries as it contributed to not only efforts to enhance regional connectivity but also to the upcoming United Nations (UN)'s Summit of the Future in September, linking the region's common concerns with global ones.
Regarding resilience, the countries emphasised the strategic significance of enhancing resilience in the current complex and unpredictable context, Deputy FM Viet said.
According to the official, "resilience’ and ‘connectivity’ will be consistently included in cooperation strategies for implementing the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, aiming to proactively respond to challenges, get ready to seize opportunities, and remain steadfast in the face of difficulties.
As for contributions of the Vietnamese delegation at the event, the official stated that the Vietnamese delegation participated in the meetings proactively, positively, and responsibly, contributing to the common work.
He said Vietnam will work to strengthen the community building process, timely complete the 2025 Masterplans towards the 2024 Cooperation Strategies. On this occasion, Vietnam announced that it will organise a regional consultation on reviewing the 2025 Master Plans to draw lessons and improve implementation quality in the future, Viet said, adding that Vietnam's plan to continue implementing the ASEAN Future Forum 2025 initiative in Vietnam received support from participants.
At the meetings, Vietnam worked with ASEAN members and partners to review and draft orientations for their relations. Vietnam has called on ASEAN's partner countries to actively participate and contribute to regional cooperation, promote dialogue and trust, and respect the group's central role.
Viet also said Vietnam had contributed to defining the direction for ASEAN amidst the uncertainties, by proposing an approach for ASEAN based on four factors of strategic vision, steadfast solidarity, central role, and specific actions. Vietnam, along with other countries, reaffirmed ASEAN's principled stance on international and regional issues, underlining the necessity of fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties (DOC) in the East Sea and creating a favourable environment for negotiating an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS). Vietnam also called on partner countries to support ASEAN's stance on the East Sea as well as the bloc 's efforts to make the waters a region of peace, stability, cooperation, and sustainable development.
The Vietnamese delegation took the occasion to hold bilateral meetings with many countries to discuss issues of mutual interest and promote cooperation in various fields, Viet went on.
The AMM-57 and related meeting have further strengthened the foundation of regional cooperation, serving as an important preparation towards the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related meetings, which will take place in October in Vientiane, Laos, he said./.
