Third ACMECS Summit scheduled for Hanoi in October

VNGOP - The Ministerial Meeting of the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) was presided over by Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win in Myanmar’s Mandalay City from May 3-4. The Vietnamese delegation headed by Deputy PM, Foreign Minister Phạm Gia Khiêm attended the meeting.

May 06, 2007 7:16 AM GMT+7

The meeting aimed to review ACMECS cooperation after the 3rd ACMECS Ministerial Meeting held in Pakse (Laos) in July last year and to prepare for the 3rd ACMECS Summit scheduled on October 22-26, 2007 in Hanoi.

ACMECS Ministers heard a report on the implementation of the ACMECS Action Program and ACMECS Project Portfolio 2006-2008. Agriculturally, they agreed to accelerate the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cultivation under contract. For transport, they considered Thailand’s proposal to create links with a view to turning the mainland Southeast Asia into Asia’s road transport center and agreed to organize another ministerial meeting to discuss the issue. The ministers also appreciated the efforts made by Vietnam, Laos and Thailand in promoting the signing of the agreement on road transport and tourism activities.

They agreed upon Vietnam’s initiative of adopting senior ACMECS leaders’ statements on facilitating trade, investment and services in border areas and voiced their support for Vietnam and Thailand’s signing of an MoU on cooperation in vocational training for ACMECS countries. They encouraged member countries to continue giving proposals and introducing new initiatives for the content of the summit. They also agreed that the next ACMECS Ministerial Meeting will be held in Thailand in 2008.

On the sidelines of the meeting, Deputy PM, Foreign Minister Phạm Gia Khiêm met with his Lao counterpart Thongloun Sisolith and Myanmar Foreign Minister Nyan Win to discuss bilateral cooperation and regional and international issues of common concern.