ASEM convenes 8th foreign ministerial meeting
VNGOP – The 8th ASEM Foreign Ministerial Meeting (FMM8) was opened on May 28 in Hamburg (Germany). This is the ever biggest FMM since the establishment of ASEM in 1996, attended by representatives from 45 member countries. The Vietnamese delegation was headed by Deputy PM, Foreign Minister Phạm Gia Khiêm.
The Meeting's agenda covered policies on foreign affairs, security (situations in the Middle East and Afghanistan), energy, climatic changes, employment, education, cultural exchange, dialogue, information technology and telecommunication.
Addressing the Meeting, Deputy PM, Foreign Minister Phạm Gia Khiêm asked the member countries to work with other UN members in renewing the United Nations into a democratic, transparent and effective organization which can deal with new dangers in the 21st century. He emphasized that Vietnam's bid for a non-permanent seat at the UN Security Council in 2008-2009 reflects the country's role and responsibility to maintain security, peace and common benefit for the international community.
ASEM Foreign Ministers eventually agreed to boost the Doha Round, call for WTO members to end the round in favor of developing countries, and strengthen the Asia-Europe economic cooperation in line with the agenda of WTO and the Doha Development Program. The Ministers also agreed to start the ASEAN-EU negotiation on ASEAN-EU free trade area.
By Xuân Hồng
