Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has reiteratedVietnam’s commitment to stay closely engaged with the Associationof Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the successful building of anASEAN Community by 2015.
Speaking at the 47thASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-47) in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar onAugust 8, Deputy PM Minh said ASEAN should maintain its momentum andcentral role in promoting regional economic connectivity by enhancinginternal strength and deepening intra-bloc linkage.
He also stressed the need for ASEAN to effectively realise free tradeagreements with partners and speed up negotiations for a regionalcomprehensive economic partnership (RCEP).
At thesame time, the association should improve its capacity in dealing withnon-traditional challenges such as maritime security and safety, naturaldisasters and epidemics, which have become frequent and seriouslyaffect residents in the region, he said.
It is alsonecessary for ASEAN to inherit and promote its achievements for theshaping of a long-term vision and strategy in order to bring thegrouping to a new height after 2015, he added.
Regarding the East Sea issue, Deputy PM Minh mentioned thecomplicated developments in the East Sea recently, especially afterChina illegally positioned its rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam ’sexclusive economic zone and continental shelf. The act seriouslyviolated international law, including the 1982 United Nations Conventionon the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and went against the Declaration on theConduct of Party in the East Sea (DOC), he stressed.
He underlined the serious consequences of the incident and urged theprevention of similar complicated events. At the same time, he calledfor measures to ensure the full and effective implementation of the DOCwhile working toward an early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in theEast Sea (COC), as well as the strict observance of international lawand the UNCLOS.
Deputy PM Minh also underscored theneed to settle all disputes through peaceful measures withself-restraint and refraining from using or threatening to use force.
During the AMM-47 plenary session, ASEAN foreignministers and ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh focused discussionson the implementation of the DOC and the progress of the ASEAN Communitybuilding.
They pledged highest determination tofinish all remaining work so that the ASEAN Community can be establishedon December 31, 2015, which is considered an important foundation forthe association to maintain its strong and sustainable development inthe next decades, helping it continue its central role in regionalcooperation processes.
The ministers also stressedthe importance of ASEAN’s solidarity and common voice and responsibilitytowards strategic issues in the region, especially those related topeace, stability, security and development.
ASEANshould actively deploy initiatives and hasten the shaping of regionalarchitectures based on international law and available tools andmechanisms, including the ASEAN Charter, the Treaty of Amity andCooperation, the Bali Declaration, and the DOC, they said.
The ministers agreed that the strengthening of ties with dialoguecountries and partners will also help optimising the association’scentral role in the shaping regional architecture.
At AMM-47 retreat session, the foreign ministers share viewpoints onregional and international matters of mutual concern, including bothtraditional and non-traditional challenges facing the region, as well assituations in hot spots like the Korean peninsula, the Middle East andUkraine .
They also expressed deep concern aboutthe recent tension on the East Sea and emphasised the significanceof ensuring peace, stability, maritime and aviation security, safety andfreedom in the East Sea .
They highlighted theimportance of abiding by international law, the UNCLOS as well as thesettlement of disputes through peaceful measures without using orthreatening to use force, as well as the full implementation of the DOC.
They also reaffirmed the principles stated in theASEAN’s Six-Point Principles on the East Sea as well as thestatement of ASEAN foreign ministers in May, while emphasising the needto build the COC in an early date.
The ASEAN groupsten member countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia,Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam.
Earlier the same day, the ASEAN foreign ministers andSecretary-General Le Luong Minh had a meeting with representatives fromthe ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). Theydiscussed AICHR’s proposal to include human rights issues in all threeASEAN pillars in 2015.
They tabled a number of joint plans of actions and made assessment on AICHR performance.
On the sidelines of the AMM-47, Deputy PM Minh had a bilateral meetingwith Brunei Foreign and Trade Minister Mohamed Bolkiah to seek ways tofurther boost bilateral ties between the two countries.
Deputy PM Minh proposed that Vietnam and Brunei beef upcooperation in defence-security, culture, education, tourism, labour andagriculture, while stepping up the organisation of the first meeting ofthe Joint Committee for bilateral cooperation within 2014.
For his part, Mohamed Bolkiah shared Deputy PM Minh’s view on theimportance of implementing specific measures to bolster bilateralpartnership.
They also touched upon regional and international matters of mutual concern, including the East Sea issue.-VNA
Speaking at the 47thASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-47) in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar onAugust 8, Deputy PM Minh said ASEAN should maintain its momentum andcentral role in promoting regional economic connectivity by enhancinginternal strength and deepening intra-bloc linkage.
He also stressed the need for ASEAN to effectively realise free tradeagreements with partners and speed up negotiations for a regionalcomprehensive economic partnership (RCEP).
At thesame time, the association should improve its capacity in dealing withnon-traditional challenges such as maritime security and safety, naturaldisasters and epidemics, which have become frequent and seriouslyaffect residents in the region, he said.
It is alsonecessary for ASEAN to inherit and promote its achievements for theshaping of a long-term vision and strategy in order to bring thegrouping to a new height after 2015, he added.
Regarding the East Sea issue, Deputy PM Minh mentioned thecomplicated developments in the East Sea recently, especially afterChina illegally positioned its rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 in Vietnam ’sexclusive economic zone and continental shelf. The act seriouslyviolated international law, including the 1982 United Nations Conventionon the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and went against the Declaration on theConduct of Party in the East Sea (DOC), he stressed.
He underlined the serious consequences of the incident and urged theprevention of similar complicated events. At the same time, he calledfor measures to ensure the full and effective implementation of the DOCwhile working toward an early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in theEast Sea (COC), as well as the strict observance of international lawand the UNCLOS.
Deputy PM Minh also underscored theneed to settle all disputes through peaceful measures withself-restraint and refraining from using or threatening to use force.
During the AMM-47 plenary session, ASEAN foreignministers and ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh focused discussionson the implementation of the DOC and the progress of the ASEAN Communitybuilding.
They pledged highest determination tofinish all remaining work so that the ASEAN Community can be establishedon December 31, 2015, which is considered an important foundation forthe association to maintain its strong and sustainable development inthe next decades, helping it continue its central role in regionalcooperation processes.
The ministers also stressedthe importance of ASEAN’s solidarity and common voice and responsibilitytowards strategic issues in the region, especially those related topeace, stability, security and development.
ASEANshould actively deploy initiatives and hasten the shaping of regionalarchitectures based on international law and available tools andmechanisms, including the ASEAN Charter, the Treaty of Amity andCooperation, the Bali Declaration, and the DOC, they said.
The ministers agreed that the strengthening of ties with dialoguecountries and partners will also help optimising the association’scentral role in the shaping regional architecture.
At AMM-47 retreat session, the foreign ministers share viewpoints onregional and international matters of mutual concern, including bothtraditional and non-traditional challenges facing the region, as well assituations in hot spots like the Korean peninsula, the Middle East andUkraine .
They also expressed deep concern aboutthe recent tension on the East Sea and emphasised the significanceof ensuring peace, stability, maritime and aviation security, safety andfreedom in the East Sea .
They highlighted theimportance of abiding by international law, the UNCLOS as well as thesettlement of disputes through peaceful measures without using orthreatening to use force, as well as the full implementation of the DOC.
They also reaffirmed the principles stated in theASEAN’s Six-Point Principles on the East Sea as well as thestatement of ASEAN foreign ministers in May, while emphasising the needto build the COC in an early date.
The ASEAN groupsten member countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia,Myanmar, Laos, the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Vietnam.
Earlier the same day, the ASEAN foreign ministers andSecretary-General Le Luong Minh had a meeting with representatives fromthe ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). Theydiscussed AICHR’s proposal to include human rights issues in all threeASEAN pillars in 2015.
They tabled a number of joint plans of actions and made assessment on AICHR performance.
On the sidelines of the AMM-47, Deputy PM Minh had a bilateral meetingwith Brunei Foreign and Trade Minister Mohamed Bolkiah to seek ways tofurther boost bilateral ties between the two countries.
Deputy PM Minh proposed that Vietnam and Brunei beef upcooperation in defence-security, culture, education, tourism, labour andagriculture, while stepping up the organisation of the first meeting ofthe Joint Committee for bilateral cooperation within 2014.
For his part, Mohamed Bolkiah shared Deputy PM Minh’s view on theimportance of implementing specific measures to bolster bilateralpartnership.
They also touched upon regional and international matters of mutual concern, including the East Sea issue.-VNA
