Heads of delegations from ASEAN member nations at the event (Source: VNA) Addressing the ASEAN ForeignMinisters’ Retreat in Boracay, the Philippines, on February 21, Minh, who isalso Deputy Prime Minister, stressed the need to foster the intra-bloc economicconnectivity and cooperation, as well as the strengthening of the bloc’sattraction as a close-knit regional economy.
It is also necessary to narrowdown the development gap, while improving infrastructure connections and payingmore attention to the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises as well asthe business community’s engagement in the regional connectivity process, hesaid.
Regarding external relations,Minh proposed that ASEAN should be more proactive in affirming its leading rolein mechanisms it had launched such as ASEAN 1, ASEAN 3, ASEAN Regional Forumand the East Asia Summit, along with enhancing the efficiency and supplementaryfeatures of the mechanism, thus continuing attracting and maintaining theinterest and involvement of partners, ensuring the central role of theassociation in regional processes and increase its global role.
On regional and internationalissues, Minh laid special stress on the vitality of peace, stability and securityto the prosperity and development in the region.
The current complicated andunexpected situation requires ASEAN to promote its common voice in tackling strategicmatters, proactively turning challenges into opportunities, upholding the supremacyof law and code of conduct in the relations among countries, the Vietnamese FMsaid.
Minh suggested fostering measuresto build trust, prevent conflicts, and issue early alert for disputes, underscoringrespecting and complying with international law as the most important one.
He also stressed the need forASEAN to strengthen collaboration in coping with challenges amidst the growingnon-traditional security challenges like climate change, disasters and piracy,asking for the intensive sharing of information and close collaboration toprevent piracy to ensure safety for people and property of vehicles crossing theregion.
On the East Sea issue, Minhraised his concern about complicated developments in the sea, emphasising that ASEANshould reinforce solidarity and unity, while staying persistent and promoting existingshared stances.
He also underlined the significance of the peaceful settlementof disputes on the foundation of international law, including the 1982 UNConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), as well as respecting diplomatic andlegal processes, strengthening consultations and dialogues on the East Sea,fully implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea(DOC), and striving to reach a framework of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea(COC) in mid-2017 towards its early completion.
He also pledged that Vietnam will work closely with the Philippines and otherASEAN members in ensuring the success of ASEAN in 2017, while voicing supportfor ASEAN’s priorities for the year that were proposed by the Philippines.
During the two-day retreat, participants adopted the ASEAN Year 2017 theme“Partnering for Change, Engaging the World” and approved six prioritiesproposed by the Philippines as the ASEAN Chair in 2017, including building thepeople-centred ASEAN; promoting regional peace and stability; reinforcingmaritime security and cooperation; advancing inclusive, innovation-led growth;strengthening ASEAN resiliency and promoting ASEAN as a model of regionalcooperation.
They also agreed on the need to strengthen efforts for a people-orientedcommunity through closer connectivity and effective implementation ofcooperation plans towards bringing practical benefits for locals.
The foreign ministers alsounderscored measures to enhance the efficiency of the ASEAN organization,including an updated ASEAN Charter.
They concurred to continueboosting dialogues and cooperation with partners through the improvement ofmechanisms run by the bloc, thus gaining more support from stakeholders inbuilding the community, contributing to peace, stability in the region.
Over the East Sea issues, theyshared concern that recent developments and escalating activities in the seacould raise tensions and erode trust. They acknowledged the need to maintaindialogues to soothe the tension.
They stressed the importance of promoting trust, exercising self-restraint, nottaking any activities that complicate the situation, tackling peacefullydisputes, including respecting diplomatic and legal processes, not using orthreatening to use forces in line with international law, including the UNCLOS1982.
They also underscored the importance of fully executing DOC and pushing ASEANand China to reach the framework of the COC this year for the early completionof the document.
At the end of the retreat, the Chair, the Philippines released a pressstatement on the main outcomes of the meeting.-VNA
VNA
