Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Gia Khiem attended the ASEAN-GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) and ASEAN-MERCOSUR (Common Market of the South) Ministerial Meetings on September 25 in New York.

At the ASEAN-GCC meeting, the participating ministers said they want to enhance cooperation between the two regions, especially in economics-trade and cultural-people exchanges, thus overcoming global challenges.

The two sides appreciated the results of the first official ASEAN-GCC ministerial meeting which was held Bahrain in June this year. They asked officials of each other to early complete an action plan to promote specific cooperation in priority fields.

They also agreed to open the second official meeting in Singapore in May next year.

At the ASEAN-MERCOSUR meeting, the two sides said they would make every effort to promote cooperation in priority fields, which were introduced at the first official ASEAN-MERCOSUR ministerial meeting in Brazil in November last year.

They asked officials of each other to quickly complete an action plan in order to promote specific cooperation, especially in economics-trade and cultural-people exchanges.

The two sides also agreed to hold the second official ASEAN-MERCOSUR ministerial meeting in June next year in Thailand .

At the two meetings, Minister Pham Gia Khiem suggested that ASEAN, together with the GCC and the MERCOSUR countries, should early find specific solutions to tap potentials, especially to boost cooperation in economics, trade and investment, ensuring energy and food security.

Khiem asserted that Vietnam , as the ASEAN President in 2010, would do its utmost to contribute to accelerating bilateral and multilateral cooperation between ASEAN and GCC as well as MERCOSUR

The same day, the minister also had a bilateral meeting with San Mario’s Foreign Minister Antonella Mularoni./.