Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Gia Khiempresided over the ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, which took placein Hanoi on July 21 within the framework of the 43 rd ASEANMinisterial Meeting and Related Meetings.
He also chairedthe Informal Consultations among East Asia Summit (EAS) ForeignMinisters.
At the ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, theministers of ASEAN and China, Japan and the Republic of Korea(RoK) reviewed the progress of ASEAN Plus Three’s Cooperation in thepast year and discussed the future direction for cooperation.
They agreed to move forward the implementation of ASEAN Plus ThreeCooperation Work Plan (2007-2017) and effectively utilise the ASEAN+3Cooperation Fund; intensify cooperation in monetary areas, includingeffective implementation of the Multilateralisation of the Chiang MaiInitiative (CMIM), and foster the Initiative of Asia Bond Market,strengthening coordination and exchanging macro monetary policies.
They also reached agreement on strengthening cooperation in tradeand investment, in particular, ensuring the on-scheduleimplementation of FTA+1 agreements between ASEAN and China, andJapan, and the RoK; along with promoting a feasibility study on theEast Asia Free Trade Agreement (EAFTA).
Onregional and international issues, ASEAN and the three countries agreedto enhance policy coordination in global efforts to respond to climatechange, especially in the lead up to preparations for the COP-16 inMexico; the three countries welcomed and supported the regularparticipation of the ASEAN Chair at the G-20 Summits; the two sides alsoexchanged views on developments in the Korean Peninsula.
At the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Informal Consultations, theministers focused their discussion on realising the outcome of the 4 thEast Asia Summit as well as preparing for the 5th East Asia Summit.
The ministers noted that this year marks the fifthanniversary of the EAS process and is therefore an opportune time forparticipating countries to review the past journey, while mapping outdirections for the years to come.
They reaffirmed the principleand nature of the EAS as a leaders-led forum focusing on strategic andpolicy dialogue in the region and agreed to deepen cooperation on fivepriority areas and enhance coordination in global efforts to addressworld challenges such as the global financial crisis and climate change.
The ministers also agreed to propose a stand-alone Statement beissued on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the EAS by the FifthEast Asia Summit this year.
The ministers welcomed theexpressed interests of Russia and the US to be members of the EASand will recommend to ASEAN Leaders for a formal decision by the 17 thASEAN Summit. They emphasised ASEAN’s centrality in the process, andreiterated the established principles and goals of the EAS.
At the two meetings, the Dialogue Partners reaffirmed theirsupport for ASEAN’s central role in the regional cooperation processesand in shaping regional architecture; and undertook to closely work withASEAN to intensify cooperation programmes and priorities within thesetwo processes, including the contribution of the two processes towardscommunity building in East Asia.
ASEAN and thesepartners also agreed to work further to strengthen ASEANconnectivity, including implementing the Master Plan on ASEANConnectivity which will also lay foundations for the connectivity inEast Asia.
At the end of those two meetings, the Chairmanissued a statement on the outcome of the ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers’Meeting and the Informal Consultations among EAS Foreign Ministers.
The same day, ASEAN Foreign Ministers and their counterparts from theRepublic of Korea had a working lunch to discuss preparations forthe upcoming G-20 Summit to be held in Seoul in November 2010,including how best ASEAN could contribute to the Summit./.
He also chairedthe Informal Consultations among East Asia Summit (EAS) ForeignMinisters.
At the ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, theministers of ASEAN and China, Japan and the Republic of Korea(RoK) reviewed the progress of ASEAN Plus Three’s Cooperation in thepast year and discussed the future direction for cooperation.
They agreed to move forward the implementation of ASEAN Plus ThreeCooperation Work Plan (2007-2017) and effectively utilise the ASEAN+3Cooperation Fund; intensify cooperation in monetary areas, includingeffective implementation of the Multilateralisation of the Chiang MaiInitiative (CMIM), and foster the Initiative of Asia Bond Market,strengthening coordination and exchanging macro monetary policies.
They also reached agreement on strengthening cooperation in tradeand investment, in particular, ensuring the on-scheduleimplementation of FTA+1 agreements between ASEAN and China, andJapan, and the RoK; along with promoting a feasibility study on theEast Asia Free Trade Agreement (EAFTA).
Onregional and international issues, ASEAN and the three countries agreedto enhance policy coordination in global efforts to respond to climatechange, especially in the lead up to preparations for the COP-16 inMexico; the three countries welcomed and supported the regularparticipation of the ASEAN Chair at the G-20 Summits; the two sides alsoexchanged views on developments in the Korean Peninsula.
At the East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Informal Consultations, theministers focused their discussion on realising the outcome of the 4 thEast Asia Summit as well as preparing for the 5th East Asia Summit.
The ministers noted that this year marks the fifthanniversary of the EAS process and is therefore an opportune time forparticipating countries to review the past journey, while mapping outdirections for the years to come.
They reaffirmed the principleand nature of the EAS as a leaders-led forum focusing on strategic andpolicy dialogue in the region and agreed to deepen cooperation on fivepriority areas and enhance coordination in global efforts to addressworld challenges such as the global financial crisis and climate change.
The ministers also agreed to propose a stand-alone Statement beissued on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the EAS by the FifthEast Asia Summit this year.
The ministers welcomed theexpressed interests of Russia and the US to be members of the EASand will recommend to ASEAN Leaders for a formal decision by the 17 thASEAN Summit. They emphasised ASEAN’s centrality in the process, andreiterated the established principles and goals of the EAS.
At the two meetings, the Dialogue Partners reaffirmed theirsupport for ASEAN’s central role in the regional cooperation processesand in shaping regional architecture; and undertook to closely work withASEAN to intensify cooperation programmes and priorities within thesetwo processes, including the contribution of the two processes towardscommunity building in East Asia.
ASEAN and thesepartners also agreed to work further to strengthen ASEANconnectivity, including implementing the Master Plan on ASEANConnectivity which will also lay foundations for the connectivity inEast Asia.
At the end of those two meetings, the Chairmanissued a statement on the outcome of the ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers’Meeting and the Informal Consultations among EAS Foreign Ministers.
The same day, ASEAN Foreign Ministers and their counterparts from theRepublic of Korea had a working lunch to discuss preparations forthe upcoming G-20 Summit to be held in Seoul in November 2010,including how best ASEAN could contribute to the Summit./.
