VN pledges contributions to ASEAN cooperation
Speaking at the
meetings of ASEAN Foreign Ministers (AMM), ASEAN Political-Security
Council (APSC) and ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) in Phnom Penh,
Cambodia, on November 16-17, FM Minh stressed that ASEAN countries
need to strengthen solidarity, maintain a central role in regional
development and promote peace, security, stability and cooperation in
the region and the world.
He also affirmed that ASEAN
should expand cooperation and improve regional capacity to deal with
emerging challenges, including natural disasters, climate change,
maritime security and transnational issues.
The
Vietnamese FM asked ASEAN to create conditions for its partners to
contribute to regional cooperation related issues - especially ASEAN
connectivity - and build a community with expanding and deepening
relations with ASEAN and non-regional countries.
Minh
spoke positively of the role and principles of the Southeast Asian
Treaty on Amity Cooperation (TAC), an important document guiding the
conduct of cooperation between regional and non-regional countries in
ASEAN. Other country participation in the TAC is highly valued, he
added.
The FM made suggestions on key issues discussed at the
meetings, and exchanged views on regional and international matters of
common concern.
Referring to the East Sea issue, Minh
stressed the importance of peace, stability and maritime security in the
sea, the peaceful resolution of disputes, and the observance of
international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea,
including regulations on respecting coastal countries’ exclusive
economic zones and continental shelves, as well as the full
implementation of the Declaration on the Conducts of Parties (DOC) in
the East Sea, the ASEAN Six-point Principle on the East Sea and the
early building of the Code of Conducts of Parties in the East Sea.
He also welcomed ASEAN’s first organisation of the open ASEAN sea forum
and the ASEAN-China 10 th anniversary celebration of the signing of
the DOC.
The AMM, APSC and ACC meetings were held in preparation
for the 21 st ASEAN Summit and related meetings to be held in Phnom
Penh from November 18-20.
At the end of the meetings, the
Foreign Ministers of ASEAN countries and Brazil signed documents
relating to Brazil’s participation in TAC.
Outside of the meetings, FM Minh held separate bilateral talks with his Indonesian, Singaporean and Malaysian counterparts.
At the talks, the sides spoke highly of the relations between Vietnam
and their countries, affirming their determination to consolidate and
strengthen the existing ties and further collaborate at regional and
international forums.
The FMs agreed to further
strengthen high-level delegation exchanges, maintain the established
cooperation mechanisms, consolidate and enhance their friendship and
effective cooperation, and join hands to build a unified ASEAN Community
by 2015.-VNA