Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh led a Vietnam delegation to attend several meetings in preparation for the 26 th ASEAN Summit held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on April 26.
Addressing the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the ASEAN Political-Security Committee Council’s meeting and the ASEAN Coordinating Council’s meeting, Minh called on ASEAN to demonstrate stronger determination and efforts to carry out the roadmap on building the ASEAN Community on the three pillars of politics-security, economics and culture-society.
Vietnam is resolved to work together with other member states to address existing issues in order to meet the goal of establishing the ASEAN Community by the end of 2015.
The country will also contribute actively to drafting the ASEAN Community Vision to 2025, and coordinate closely with other members in dealing with regional and international challenges, Minh stated.
Mentioning the complicated developments in regional and international situations, the Vietnamese official stressed the need for the bloc to intensify cooperation to address traditional and non-traditional security challenges.
In the East Sea issue, he highlighted the importance of respecting international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, self-restraining, and not using or threatening to use violence.
He suggested ASEAN intensify unity and solidarity, and increase its role in ensuring peace, stability and maritime security and safety in the East Sea, while accelerating talks with China for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, particularly Article 5 on self-restraint, and the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.
During the meetings, ASEAN foreign ministers reiterated the resolve to carry out the roadmap on building the ASEAN Community on the three pillars of politics-security, economics and culture-society to ensure the Community is formed as scheduled. They agreed to continue efforts to carry out the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan – second phase so as to narrow development gap.
Regarding the post-2015 ASEAN Community Vision, they asked the High-Level Task Force on Building the Vision to complete the draft vision and implementation plans in order to submit them to the 27 th ASEAN Summit at the end of this year.
The ministers also reached a consensus on fostering external relations to optimize dialogue partners’ support for the community building goal and on designing action plans for the bloc’s ties with partners beyond 2015 while improving the central role of ASEAN.
They expressed concerns over the large-scale expansion of reef in the East Sea, saying that the act changed the status quo and violated the DOC, affecting mutual trust and causing tensions in the region.
They agreed that ASEAN should strengthen its common voice and play a greater role in ensuring peace, stability, maritime security and safety in the region, while increasing communications with China for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, particularly Article 5 on self-restraint, and the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.-VNA
Addressing the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the ASEAN Political-Security Committee Council’s meeting and the ASEAN Coordinating Council’s meeting, Minh called on ASEAN to demonstrate stronger determination and efforts to carry out the roadmap on building the ASEAN Community on the three pillars of politics-security, economics and culture-society.
Vietnam is resolved to work together with other member states to address existing issues in order to meet the goal of establishing the ASEAN Community by the end of 2015.
The country will also contribute actively to drafting the ASEAN Community Vision to 2025, and coordinate closely with other members in dealing with regional and international challenges, Minh stated.
Mentioning the complicated developments in regional and international situations, the Vietnamese official stressed the need for the bloc to intensify cooperation to address traditional and non-traditional security challenges.
In the East Sea issue, he highlighted the importance of respecting international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, self-restraining, and not using or threatening to use violence.
He suggested ASEAN intensify unity and solidarity, and increase its role in ensuring peace, stability and maritime security and safety in the East Sea, while accelerating talks with China for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, particularly Article 5 on self-restraint, and the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.
During the meetings, ASEAN foreign ministers reiterated the resolve to carry out the roadmap on building the ASEAN Community on the three pillars of politics-security, economics and culture-society to ensure the Community is formed as scheduled. They agreed to continue efforts to carry out the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity, and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration Work Plan – second phase so as to narrow development gap.
Regarding the post-2015 ASEAN Community Vision, they asked the High-Level Task Force on Building the Vision to complete the draft vision and implementation plans in order to submit them to the 27 th ASEAN Summit at the end of this year.
The ministers also reached a consensus on fostering external relations to optimize dialogue partners’ support for the community building goal and on designing action plans for the bloc’s ties with partners beyond 2015 while improving the central role of ASEAN.
They expressed concerns over the large-scale expansion of reef in the East Sea, saying that the act changed the status quo and violated the DOC, affecting mutual trust and causing tensions in the region.
They agreed that ASEAN should strengthen its common voice and play a greater role in ensuring peace, stability, maritime security and safety in the region, while increasing communications with China for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea, particularly Article 5 on self-restraint, and the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.-VNA
