Jakarta (VNA) – Foreign Minister Bui ThanhSon’s attendance at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting Retreat (AMM Retreat) inJakarta on February 3-4 will contribute to enhancing solidarity and consensusin the ten-member grouping, thus elevating Vietnam’s role and position in ASEANand international forums, a Vietnamese diplomat has said.

In an interview granted to the Vietnam News Agency ahead of the AMM Retreat, AmbassadorNguyen Hai Bang, Permanent Representative of Vietnam to ASEAN, said given the current complicated circumstances, the meetingis expected to offer an opportunity for ASEAN FMs to discuss and reachconsensus on the bloc’s orientations.

The ministers are expected to propose initiatives and solutionsto cope with challenges in the region and the world, strengthen the bloc's solidarity,enhance ASEAN’s centrality in the region, and facilitate recovery of the entireassociation and each member nation, the ambassador continued.

According to Bang, on the sidelines of the AMM Retreat,Son and his counterparts in ASEAN will pay courtesy calls to IndonesianPresident Joko Widodo, and hold many bilateral meetings.

Since joining ASEAN, Vietnam has proven its role as anactive, responsible member that is willing to lead and contribute to buildingrules for the bloc, the ambassador stressed.

At the upcoming retreat, Vietnam will proposeinitiatives aiming to improve institutional capacity and operational efficiencyof ASEAN agencies and review the implementation of the ASEAN Charter for timely adjustment and supplements, towards ensuring that ASEAN Community building efforts are made in an effective and coordinated manner across all three pillars. 

Also as part of the community building framework, Vietnam will join in finalising Timor Leste's observer status and and contributing to building a roadmap for Timor-Leste to securethe ASEAN membership, he said.

According to the ambassador, another important issue at the upcoming retreat meeting is measures tomaterialise the Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar, and Vietnamstands ready to engage in the process.

Other issues to be tabled for discussion include orientationsto boost cooperation between ASEAN and its partners in the spirit of ensuringand promoting the centrality of ASEAN as well as mechanisms and initiatives of or led by ASEAN, including the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, and how to continue urging major countriesto soon join the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone(SEANWFZ).

The present emerging international and regional issueswill also be of great concern as they directly affect ASEAN, he said, noting that thetask of the Vietnamese delegation is to raise initiatives in order to build acommon stance, helping to ensure ASEAN solidarity and unity.

Speaking of priorities set by Indonesia as ASEAN Chair2023 that are maintaining ASEAN’s position and consolidating its centrality inthe region and the world, and comprehensively spurring economic recovery andgrowth, turning ASEAN into  bright spotof the global economy, Bang affirmed Vietnam’s support for and readiness tocontribute to these efforts this year./.