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PMs of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar determined to strive for cooperation, integration and development gap narrowing

VNGOVNet – On the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Summit, the 3rd Senior Meeting between Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV), 3rd Ministerial Meeting of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Japan (CLV + Japan) and the Ministerial Meeting for Mekong-Ganges Cooperation (MGC) were convened in Cebu, the Philippines on January 12, 2007.

January 13, 2007 10:01 AM GMT+7

 

 PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng at the CLMV – Photo: VNGOVNet

The 3rd CLMV was attended by Cambodian PM Hun Sen, Lao PM Bouasone Bouphavanh, PM of Myanmar Soe Win, the ASEAN Secretary-General and PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng who led the Vietnamese delegation. Previously in the same day, the CLMV Ministerial Meeting was held to prepare the CLMV.

At the meeting, the PMs affirmed their determination to strive for cooperation, integration and narrowing development gaps, combining CLMV cooperation with ASEAN Integration Initiative (IAI); shared orientations and measures to promote the cooperation among the four countries, especially in investment attraction and trade; and committed to playing up their internal strength while capitalizing on support from ASEAN members and developed partners.

The leaders acknowledged agreements reached at expert and ministerial levels between the four countries and Thailand on combining the CLMV action program and the action program for the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong economic cooperation strategy (ACMECS). The PMs approved the CLMV action program and entrusted working teams to consider and propose feasible cooperation projects to put the CLMV action program into reality. The PMs also acknowledged and requested the relevant agencies of each country to study PM Hun Sen’s proposal for the CLMV Fund and report to the four PMs for decision.

The PMs agreed to organize the 4th CLMV Senior Meeting at the same time as the 3rd ACMECS in Vietnam in late 2007.

Addressing the meeting, PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng asserted that Vietnam will closely cooperate with Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar in enhancing CLMV cooperation and will, in its capacity, assist Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar in their development with a view to improving the CLMV status in the process of economic alliance within ASEAN and between ASEAN and other partners. The PM suggested to diversify CLMV cooperation, paying more attention to the 2 1 model in trade, electricity, mining, and cultivation of high-value industrial crops (rubber, coffee). The Vietnamese PM expressed his hope that Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar will closely collaborate with Vietnam in holding the 2nd ASEAN Integration, Development and Cooperation Forum (IDCF) held in Vietnam in 2007.

Deputy PM, Foreign Minister Phạm Gia Khiêm headed the Vietnamese delegation to attend the Ministerial Meeting of Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam and Japan (CLV Japan). At the Meeting, Japan informed that, apart from the fund of US$ 52 million to speed up ASEAN-Japan economic cooperation, Japan will spend US$ 40 million on CLMV, including US$ 20 million for the Development Triangle. Japan also suggested to organize the Ministerial Meeting between Japan and five Mekong Subregion countries in Tokyo in 2007 with the aim of enhancing dialogues and cooperation between Japan and these countries.

Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam high hailed Japan for supporting the Mekong Subregion and requested Japan to provide more support to the Development Triangle, especially 12 priority large-scale infrastructure projects proposed to Japan at the 1st CLV Japan Meeting in Vientiane in November 2004.

At the Meeting, apart from the above mentioned, Deputy PM Phạm Gia Khiêm asked Japan to collaborate with CLV in arranging visits for Japanese business teams to the Development Triangle to seek for investment and business opportunities and invited Japan to take part in the 2007 Triangle trade, investment and tourism fair.

Previously in the same day, Deputy PM, Foreign Minister Phạm Gia Khiêm led the Vietnam delegation to attend the Mekong-Ganges Cooperation Ministerial Meeting (MGC). The Meeting was aimed at reviewing the MGC cooperation over the past years, handing the MGC chairmanship from Thailand over to India, and discussing the organization of the 4th MGC Ministerial Meeting in the first half of 2007.

By Hoàng Nguyên