Vietnam has actively contributed to promoting cooperation between ASEANand its partners, especially the European Union, said a seniorVietnamese official who accompanied Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung tothe eighth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 8) in Brussels, Belgium, fromOct. 4-5.
Deputy Foreign Minister Doan XuanHung, in an interview with Vietnam News Agency correspondent on Oct. 5,said European members to the meeting praised Vietnam’s active role asASEAN Chair in 2010 and applauded the bloc’s efforts in developing astrong, dynamic and sustainable community, and paid attention topotentials for cooperation between the two continents within the MekongRiver cooperation framework.
According to thedeputy minister, during the ASEM-8 PM Dung spotlighted importantcontributions made by the ASEAN bloc in general and Vietnam inparticular to issues of the ASEM’s concern.
“PMDung made a number of suggestions for sustainable development, such asintensifying experience sharing and assistance to designing ofsustainable development models and strategies, ensuring social securityfor disadvantaged and vulnerable people, and promoting on-goingsustainable development programmes at sub-regional and regional levelsin the two continents,” Hung said.
“His twoinitiatives to organise ASEM forums on green growth and social securitynetworks were highly valued by the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Finlandand the Republic of Korea, and approved unanimously at the meeting,”Hung further said.
Vietnam joined importantevents towards the ASEM-8, including the cultural exhibition “Way toAsia – 2,500 years of Asia-Europe Exchange” . The countrybrought to the display more than 30 antiques, many of them are valuableand of historical and cultural significance such as a Dong Son bronzedrum, Cham-pa stone statues dated back to the tenth century, andBuddhist statues from the 11th -12th centuries.
Vietnam’s participation in the event helped foreign friends tobetter understand the country which has a long history and cultureimbued with national identities. Significantly, it takes place whenVietnam is celebrating the millennium anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi,he added.
During the two short days of theASEM-8, the Vietnamese delegation were busy with an agenda of sixsessions and 20 meetings with top leaders of ASEM countries.
The concrete agreements made at the meetings were important toVietnam ’s relations with partners and its development policies, layinga foundation for comprehensive and long-term relations with Europeanmembers, he said.
Vietnam has initialled theEU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which isconsidered as the framework for the development of an equal, long-termand stable partnership and comprehensive cooperation for peace anddevelopment between Vietnam and the EU.
Vietnam and the EU have also agreed to launch Free Trade Agreement negotiations soon.
Hung also highlighted results made at the ASEM-8, which took place ata time when the global economy, especially Asian and European economiesstarted recovering after the crisis.
The ASEMleaders adopted the “ASEM Chair’s Declaration on happiness and dignity”and the “ASEM 8 Declaration on strengthening the efficiency of globaleconomic governance”, performing a strong determination to restructurethe global economy and finance.
In conclusion,the deputy minister said Vietnam’s harmonious combination betweenmultilateral and bilateral diplomacy helped raise the country’s positionand develop its relations with partners./.
Deputy Foreign Minister Doan XuanHung, in an interview with Vietnam News Agency correspondent on Oct. 5,said European members to the meeting praised Vietnam’s active role asASEAN Chair in 2010 and applauded the bloc’s efforts in developing astrong, dynamic and sustainable community, and paid attention topotentials for cooperation between the two continents within the MekongRiver cooperation framework.
According to thedeputy minister, during the ASEM-8 PM Dung spotlighted importantcontributions made by the ASEAN bloc in general and Vietnam inparticular to issues of the ASEM’s concern.
“PMDung made a number of suggestions for sustainable development, such asintensifying experience sharing and assistance to designing ofsustainable development models and strategies, ensuring social securityfor disadvantaged and vulnerable people, and promoting on-goingsustainable development programmes at sub-regional and regional levelsin the two continents,” Hung said.
“His twoinitiatives to organise ASEM forums on green growth and social securitynetworks were highly valued by the UK, Germany, the Netherlands, Finlandand the Republic of Korea, and approved unanimously at the meeting,”Hung further said.
Vietnam joined importantevents towards the ASEM-8, including the cultural exhibition “Way toAsia – 2,500 years of Asia-Europe Exchange” . The countrybrought to the display more than 30 antiques, many of them are valuableand of historical and cultural significance such as a Dong Son bronzedrum, Cham-pa stone statues dated back to the tenth century, andBuddhist statues from the 11th -12th centuries.
Vietnam’s participation in the event helped foreign friends tobetter understand the country which has a long history and cultureimbued with national identities. Significantly, it takes place whenVietnam is celebrating the millennium anniversary of Thang Long-Hanoi,he added.
During the two short days of theASEM-8, the Vietnamese delegation were busy with an agenda of sixsessions and 20 meetings with top leaders of ASEM countries.
The concrete agreements made at the meetings were important toVietnam ’s relations with partners and its development policies, layinga foundation for comprehensive and long-term relations with Europeanmembers, he said.
Vietnam has initialled theEU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA), which isconsidered as the framework for the development of an equal, long-termand stable partnership and comprehensive cooperation for peace anddevelopment between Vietnam and the EU.
Vietnam and the EU have also agreed to launch Free Trade Agreement negotiations soon.
Hung also highlighted results made at the ASEM-8, which took place ata time when the global economy, especially Asian and European economiesstarted recovering after the crisis.
The ASEMleaders adopted the “ASEM Chair’s Declaration on happiness and dignity”and the “ASEM 8 Declaration on strengthening the efficiency of globaleconomic governance”, performing a strong determination to restructurethe global economy and finance.
In conclusion,the deputy minister said Vietnam’s harmonious combination betweenmultilateral and bilateral diplomacy helped raise the country’s positionand develop its relations with partners./.
