Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh on July 2 attended the 20 thASEAN Regional Forum (ARF–20) and the third East Asia Summit ForeignMinisters’ Meeting (EAS–3) in Brunei’s capital Bandar Seri Begawan .
Addressing the ARF-20, Minister Minh said ARFshould continue promoting its role as a regional leading political andsecurity forum to make greater contributions to peace, stability,security and development in the region.
In thecontext of changes in security in the region and the world, ARF shouldcontinue building trust, while enhancing preventive diplomacy andincreasing links between the forum and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’Meeting Plus (ADMM+) mechanism, he said.
During theARF-20, the ministers highlighted the significance of peace, security,stability, cooperation and development in the region.
They highly valued the role and contributions of ARF, an importantdialogue for political-security cooperation in Asia-Pacific, in reachingthese goals.
The ministers also tabled regional andinternational issues of mutual concern, including the Korean peninsula,the Middle East and the East Sea situation.
They gave much time to discussing recent developments in the East Sea, underscoring the importance of maintaining peace, stability, securityand maritime safety in the East Sea .
Theyemphasised that all parties should peacefully settle all differences inthe East Sea without using force, in line with international law and the1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).
Welcoming the ASEAN Six-Point Principles on the East Sea, theministers encouraged all sides to strengthen exchanges of opinions andapproaches to the issues to increase trust and cooperation in handlingrisks in the sea.
They applauded the efforts ofASEAN and China in fully and effectively implementing theDeclaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), heading tothe building of a Code of Conduct (COC). They also lauded that ASE ANand China will conduct official political consultations to reach aCOC at an early date.
During the EAS-3, theministers focused on reviewing their cooperation over the past years,proposing directions and measures to further strengthen cooperation inthe future, while discussing strategic issues in the region.
They agreed on the importance of the EAS as a forum for leaders ofregional countries, in which ASEAN plays a key role, to dialogue onstrategic issues in all fields, including politics, security, economics,development cooperation and ways to cope with challenges facing theregion and the whole world for peace, stability, security and prosperityin the region.
Countries in the region should enhance cooperation to deal with food security and prevent pandemic, they said.
They welcomed China’s initiative on developing East Asia as well asBrunei ’s proposals on ensuring food security, sustainable fishingmanagement and environmental protection.
Theministers also saluted the first conference of the dengue fightingalliance, which will be held on the occasion of the 8 th East AsiaSummit in Brunei this October under the co-chair of the Australianand Vietnamese Prime Ministers.
They stressed theimportance of ensuring peace, stability and maritime security in theregion, especially in the East Sea , as well as the peacefulsettlement of disputes and strict compliance with international law andthe 1982 UNCLOS.
The foreign ministers hailedregional efforts to promote maritime cooperation in preventing piracy,search and rescue at sea, maritime security and environmentalprotection, as well as connectivity at sea.
Speakingat the event, FM Minh affirmed that it is necessary to ensure the EAScontinues to be a forum for leaders to talk and design directions forcooperation in issues of strategic importance, on the basis of EAS goalsand principles, which were defined in basic documents, including theHanoi Statement in 2010.
He also shared his view onthe need to boost the EAS’s role in building regional regulations andframeworks for the promotion of peace, stability and prosperity in EastAsia .
At the same time, it is necessary toenhance economic and trade connectivity in East Asia to establish afree trade area and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership(RCEP), he said.
It is important to boostcooperation in solving common challenges such as natural disastermanagement, maritime security and safety, anti-terrorism as well asother non-traditional security challenges, he added.
During the meetings, referring to the East Sea issue, FM Minhreaffirmed that peace, stability, maritime security and safety are thecommon interest and benefit of the region and all countries.
ASEAN members and other countries should exert more efforts tocontribute to these shared goals, especially in the context of recentcomplicated changes in the region, he said.
Hehighlighted the Six-Point Principles of ASEAN on the East Sea,while underscoring the importance of principles on building trust,settling disputes peacefully without using force, respectinginternational law and the 1982 UNCLOS which includes principles onrespecting the exclusive economic zones of coastal nations, the fullimplementation of the DOC and the prompt building of a COC.
He applauded ASEAN and China’s agreement to organise officialconsultations on a COC at a senior official level in September thisyear, expressing hope that the event will pave the way for both sides tostep up negotiations for the early building of a COC.
The minister also suggested that all regional countries discuss andestablish regional cooperation mechanisms on preventing accidents atsea, and sea search and rescue.
Later the same day,on the sidelines of the events, Minister Minh met US State SecretaryJohn Kerry to discuss bilateral issues, as well as regional andinternational matters of mutual concern.
Both sidessaid they are pleased to see positive developments in Vietnam-US tiesduring the past years. They shared their opinions on specific measuresto further bilateral ties in the time to come.
Minister Minh voiced his hope that Kerry will make more contributions tothe development of Vietnam-US relations for the sake of both peoplesand for peace, stability and development in the region and the world.-VNA
