Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammad bin Salman receives PM Pham Minh Chinh and heads of delegations. (Photo: VNA) Riyad (VNA) – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh highlighted the significanceof the first-ever Summit between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) held in Saudi Arabia’scapital city of Riyadh on October 20, saying that it marked a historicalmilestone.
In hisspeech, PM Chinh stressed that ASEAN and GCC need to join hands in promotingresilience, harnessing resources for growth, and taking substantive actionswith the highest political determination and vigorous efforts. By doing so, thetwo regions could create tangible breakthroughs and become a highlight forregional and global collaboration.
ASEANand the GCC should continue to create more favourable conditions to ensure thateconomic, trade, and investment ties will remain the key pillar and driverconnecting the two regions, and complementing each other in the bid for mutualdevelopment, he said, adding that this will lay the foundation for investmentfunds and businesses from GCC countries to expand their business and investmentin ASEAN, and allow ASEAN goods and services to enjoy greater presence in theGulf.
Besides,both sides should give priority to together building a green, digital,circular, and sharing economy, pursuing sustainable agriculture, and expeditingenergy transition, he said.
Focusshould be given to economic, trade, and investment ties, tourism, culture,education, and people-to-people exchange, the PM said.
It is also necessary to quickly institutionalise ASEAN - GCC cooperation viaregular, substantive, and effective mechanisms in specific areas. Given theiradvantages as successful regional organisations, ASEAN and the GCC shouldsupport each other in upholding both sides’ central role and making meaningfulcontributions to peace, stability, and development in both regions and theworld as a whole, according to the government leader.
Hestressed that Vietnam strongly opposes all acts of violence and calls uponparties concerned to immediately put an end to violence against civilians,humanitarian establishments, and critical infrastructures.
Onlynegotiation, dialogue, peaceful settlement of disputes, and a two-statesolution on the basis of international law and the United Nations SecurityCouncil (UNSC)’s relevant resolutions can pave the way for lasting peace in theMiddle East and among all parties concerned, he believed.
At thesummit, leaders of ASEAN and GCC agreed to maintain the regular exchange ofviews and meetings, including the plan to hold the ASEAN-GCC Summit biennially.
Theyunderlined the need to focus on economic, trade, and investment cooperation,ensuring sustainable supply chains, connectivity, maritime cooperation, energyand food security, Halal industry, sci-tech and innovation, tourism, labour,energy transition, and climate change adaptation.
Amidcomplicated developments in the region and the world, both sides pledged toenhance multilateral cooperation, promote dialogue and cooperation, buildtrust, uphold the rule of law, respect independence, sovereignty, andterritorial integrity, not interfere in each other's affairs, join hands toaddress global and regional challenges, and effectively contribute topeace, security, stability, and sustainable development.
Countriesunderscored the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, safety,freedom of navigation and overflight in the region while settling disputesthrough peaceful means in accordance with international law, including the 1982United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Theyexpressed concern over recent developments in the Gaza Strip, stronglycondemned acts of violence against civilians, called on parties toimmediately hold a ceasefire, put an end to acts of violence, respect the international humanitarian law, resume negotiations, settle disagreements via peaceful measures in line with international law and relevant resolutions of the United Nations in a bid to achieve a equitable, satisfactory and long-lasting solution to the Middle East peace process and ensure the lives, security and safety of people.
The summit adopted a Joint Statement that reflected the outcomes of exchanging views amongleaders and outlined orientations for the development of ASEAN-GCC relations in thefuture, for the sake of peace, cooperation and mutual development./.
