Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh proposed European Union (EU) membersbeef up cooperation with ASEAN in coping with challenges ofnon-traditional security, climate change, mitigation of naturaldisasters, Mekong sub-region water source security, energy andmaritime security.
FM Minh made the proposals at the ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting in thecapital city of Bandar Seri Begawan , Brunei , on April 26 and 27.
Minh spoke highly of the importance and active results of cooperation between ASEAN and the EU over the past 35 years.
He said ASEAN and the EU should elevate cooperation in implementingthe action programme for the 2013-2017 period in economic, trade,political, security and socio-cultural fields in an effective andcomprehensive manner as well as in building the community, science,technology, education and tourism sectors.
He saidhe hopes the EU will share its experiences with ASEAN and encourage thelatter’s businesses to take part in implementing the ASEAN ConnectivityMaster Plan on traffic infrastructure development.
Regarding economics, FM Minh emphasised that ASEAN and the EU shouldactively implement the ASEAN-EU trade and investment work programme andspeed up negotiations on free trade agreements between EU and ASEANmembers to maintain the growth rate in trade and investment between thetwo regions and overcome the difficulties of the global financial andeconomic crisis.
He suggested ASEAN dialoguepartners contribute to ASEAN’s joint efforts to promote peace, securityand cooperation in the region.
The Vietnamese FMunderscored the significance of cooperation in the region for peace,stability and maritime security and safety and peaceful settlement ofdisputes based on respect for international law and the 1982 UNConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Vietnamis actively preparing for assuming the role of coordinator forASEAN-EU dialogue relations in July 2012, the FM said, affirming thatVietnam will exert its utmost to closely cooperate with othercountries in elevating ASEAN-EU cooperative relations to a new height.
On this occasion, FM Minh had bilateral meetings withthe EU Commissioner for common foreign and security policy, FMs of theNetherlands, Denmark, Latvia, Bulgaria, Estonia, and heads ofdelegations of Latvia, Croatia, Slovakia, Spain, Finland, Poland todiscuss ways to promote bilateral relations in various fields.
Participating ministers adopted the ASEAN-EU action plan for the2013-2017 period, which includes giving priority to building the ASEANcommunity and improving its connectivity, promoting cooperation ineconomics and trade, coping with climate change and disaster management,water resources, energy and maritime security, and fightingtransnational crime.
The EU also announced funding worth 20 million EUR to support the bloc’s integration and connectivity.
In addition to discussing the situations in the Middle East, NorthAfrica, and the Korea peninsula, and global economic financialcrisis, the participants also highlighted the importance of enhancingcooperation in ensuring maritime security on the basis of internationallaw and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS).
They also highly valued positivedevelopments in Myanmar, with the EU embargo on the Asian country beingeased and aid worth 150 million EUR, opening a new chapter in EU-Myanmarrelations.-VNA
FM Minh made the proposals at the ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting in thecapital city of Bandar Seri Begawan , Brunei , on April 26 and 27.
Minh spoke highly of the importance and active results of cooperation between ASEAN and the EU over the past 35 years.
He said ASEAN and the EU should elevate cooperation in implementingthe action programme for the 2013-2017 period in economic, trade,political, security and socio-cultural fields in an effective andcomprehensive manner as well as in building the community, science,technology, education and tourism sectors.
He saidhe hopes the EU will share its experiences with ASEAN and encourage thelatter’s businesses to take part in implementing the ASEAN ConnectivityMaster Plan on traffic infrastructure development.
Regarding economics, FM Minh emphasised that ASEAN and the EU shouldactively implement the ASEAN-EU trade and investment work programme andspeed up negotiations on free trade agreements between EU and ASEANmembers to maintain the growth rate in trade and investment between thetwo regions and overcome the difficulties of the global financial andeconomic crisis.
He suggested ASEAN dialoguepartners contribute to ASEAN’s joint efforts to promote peace, securityand cooperation in the region.
The Vietnamese FMunderscored the significance of cooperation in the region for peace,stability and maritime security and safety and peaceful settlement ofdisputes based on respect for international law and the 1982 UNConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Vietnamis actively preparing for assuming the role of coordinator forASEAN-EU dialogue relations in July 2012, the FM said, affirming thatVietnam will exert its utmost to closely cooperate with othercountries in elevating ASEAN-EU cooperative relations to a new height.
On this occasion, FM Minh had bilateral meetings withthe EU Commissioner for common foreign and security policy, FMs of theNetherlands, Denmark, Latvia, Bulgaria, Estonia, and heads ofdelegations of Latvia, Croatia, Slovakia, Spain, Finland, Poland todiscuss ways to promote bilateral relations in various fields.
Participating ministers adopted the ASEAN-EU action plan for the2013-2017 period, which includes giving priority to building the ASEANcommunity and improving its connectivity, promoting cooperation ineconomics and trade, coping with climate change and disaster management,water resources, energy and maritime security, and fightingtransnational crime.
The EU also announced funding worth 20 million EUR to support the bloc’s integration and connectivity.
In addition to discussing the situations in the Middle East, NorthAfrica, and the Korea peninsula, and global economic financialcrisis, the participants also highlighted the importance of enhancingcooperation in ensuring maritime security on the basis of internationallaw and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS).
They also highly valued positivedevelopments in Myanmar, with the EU embargo on the Asian country beingeased and aid worth 150 million EUR, opening a new chapter in EU-Myanmarrelations.-VNA
