Foreign Ministers meet in conferences ASEAN+1 and ASEAN+10
VNGOP – As part of the 40th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM-40), Ministerial Conferences ASEAN+1 and ASEAN+10 were convened on August 01 in Manila, Philippines, with ten ASEAN's dialogue partners: China, Japan, Republic of Korea, India, Australia, New Zealand, EU, Russia, US and Canada.
At the meetings, the ministers discussed regional and international issues of common concern. They also reviewed orientations and solutions to increase and deepen the relationships between ASEAN and dialogue partners. The ministers showed their pleasure at good results in realizing the organization's programs and plans of action to implement the Framework for Strategic or Comprehensive Partnership between ASEAN and its partners. The ministers pledged to promote comprehensive cooperation and dialogue to build up trust and mutual understanding as well as closely work together in dealing with regional and international issues of common concerns.
Dialogue partners congratulated and highly valued ASEAN's achievements. They affirmed to continue backing the efforts of regional unity for building the ASEAN Community and to support ASEAN's central role in the process of regional cooperation, boosting dialogue and cooperation for peace, stability and development in the region.
Standing Deputy Foreign Minister Lê Công Phụng, head of the Vietnamese delegation, successfully presided over the Ministerial Conference ASEAN-Canada and proactively took part in discussions at other conferences. In his addresses, Deputy FM Lê Công Phụng emphasized that all sides should further enhance their cooperation to bring the ASEAN-dialogue partner relationship into a new practical and fruitful stage, focusing on economic-trade cooperation and trans-national issues as well as narrowing development gaps.
On the sideline of the AMM-40, the 5th Ministerial Meeting for Mekong-Ganges Cooperation (MGC) and the Ministerial Meeting of Cambodia, Laos, Việt Nam and Japan (CLV Japan) on August 1 and 2. The MGC Meeting reviewed the implementation of the Hà Nội Action Program and agreed to prolong the implementation to 2013 and to hold the 6th MGC in Kolkata, India next year. The CLV Japan meeting discussed solutions to strengthen the four-side cooperation and Mekong Subregion cooperation. Japan pledged to help Cambodia, Laos, and Việt Nam to build the Development Triangle.
By Xuân Hồng
