Vietnam plays active role at ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting

Q: What were the main focuses and outcomes of the 47th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-47) and related meetings?

A: These are ASEAN's most important series of ministerial level meetings of the year; this is the only chance that ASEAN gets to hold meetings with all of its 10 partners, along with the annual ASEAN Regional Forum. In addition there were meetings between the members of the Greater Mekong Sub-region (GMS) and their partners. There were a total of more than 20 meetings in the two days (August 8-10). The meetings focused on reviewing and outlining orientations in promoting intra-ASEAN co-operation, relations between ASEAN and its partners, as well as exchanging opinions on regional and international issues of common concern. These meetings achieved many important outcomes.

First, ASEAN continued to affirm its determination to implement the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community in an effective and timely manner, ensuring the establishment of the ASEAN Community by the end of 2015. Highly valuing ASEAN in implementing nearly 80% of action lines outlined in the roadmap, countries agreed to expedite the implementation of the remaining action lines, strengthening linkages, connectivity in ASEAN and the region and strengthening co-operation in sub-regions, including the GMS. In order to elevate ASEAN to a new height, the organisation needs to actively formulate the ASEAN Community's Post-2015 Vision.

Second, ASEAN and its partners all affirmed the importance of the maintenance of peace, security, stability and co-operation in the region as the region continues to see complex developments. ASEAN foreign ministers stressed that ASEAN needs to strengthen its unity and to promote its responsible and central role in the region as well as the evolving regional architecture. ASEAN affirmed that the bloc, along with its partners, prioritises the promotion of the importance and values of norms of good conduct and co-operation frameworks in regional co-operation frameworks such as TAC, DOC, SEANFWZ, ARF, EAS, ADMM+ while enhancing capacity to respond in a timely and effective manner with traditional and non-traditional security challenges such as maritime security, maritime safety, climate change, disasters and epidemics. Accordingly, countries welcomed the fruitful outcome of the Special ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting on ASEAN Centrality in Hanoi in June 2014.

Third, ASEAN discussed with its partners measures to strengthen co-operation frameworks and partnerships through promoting the implementation of existing Plans of Actions between ASEAN and each of its partners while preparing for the formulation of Plans of Action for the next period. Partners strongly affirmed their support for a strong ASEAN with a central role in the region, commitment to increasing co-operation in priority areas including Community building, connectivity, trade, investment and finance, response to emerging challenges; expediting the completion of negotiations on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) in East Asia.

Fourth, regarding the East Sea issue, foreign ministers expressed their deep concern over recent developments that have escalated tensions in the East Sea and underlined the request not to let similar incidents to be repeated. Stressing the importance of maritime peace, stability, security and safety in the East Sea, the meetings asked concerned parties to respect international law and the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), resolve disputes through peaceful measures, exercise self-restraint without resorting to the threat or use of force and to fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), particularly Article 5 on exercising self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would cause instability and complicate the situation while urging substantive negotiations for the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC). The above-mentioned principles and important issues on the East Sea were mentioned in the Joint Communiqué of the AMM-47 and other statements.

Q: How did Vietnam participate and contribute to the success of these meeting?

A: The Vietnamese delegation, headed by Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh, attended these meetings, co-chaired the ASEAN-EU Foreign Ministers' Meeting as the co-ordinator of the ASEAN-EU relations, and made active and responsible contributions to strengthening unity, the common voice of ASEAN and priority topics of the meeting.

First, we made practical contributions to promoting co-operation focuses and priorities of ASEAN and the region on Community building, linkages, connectivity, co-operation in different areas, as well as ASEAN's development orientations after 2015. As the regional and global context saw many complex developments, ASEAN's top priority is maintaining peace, security and stability for the purpose of building an ASEAN community and its development.

Second, we promoted the unity of ASEAN and its central role in an evolving regional architecture and strategic issues related to peace, security, stability and co-operation in the region, including the East Sea issue, as well as building a regional architecture on the basis of existing regional co-operation processes in accordance with the interests and characteristics of the region. Accordingly, ASEAN needs to proactively promote the building of co-operation frameworks and principles of conduct in the region, while promoting the values and effectiveness of existing principles and norms of conduct in the region, such as the TAC, SEANFWZ, DOC, ASEAN's Six Point on the East Sea, Bali principles, and strive to build the common principles of conduct for the entire East Asia region. In the area of economics, ASEAN needs to reinforce its internal strength and economic linkage as the firm foundation for ASEAN to continue to play a central role in promoting and expanding economic linkage with its partners through ASEAN+1 FTAs as well as the entire East Asia region through RECP.

Third, we worked closely with other ASEAN members to build and promote an ASEAN consensus on issues arising in the region, including the East Sea issue. Countries both inside and outside of ASEAN shared and agreed with our view on the East Sea issue, which was written in documents, particularly the Joint Communiqué. On the East Sea issue, the Vietnamese delegation expressed deep concern over recent tensions, especially the illegal placement of an oil rig within Vietnam's continental shelf and exclusive economic zone, and stressed that ASEAN and other countries need to make a concerted effort to prevent the repetition of similar incidents; stressed the full and effective implementation of the DOC, particularly Article 5 on self-restraint; respect international law and the UNCLOS without resorting to threat or use of force and strive for an early conclusion of a COC. Accordingly, foreign ministers agreed to task ASEAN senior officials to concretise measures and mechanisms to ensure the serious implementation of Article 5.

Fourth, Vietnam supported ASEAN to continue to expand and deepen relations with its partners, create a favourable environment and make use of resources for the process to build the ASEAN Community; promote co-operation on mutually beneficial areas such as connectivity, economy, trade and narrowing developmental gaps.

As the co-ordinator of the ASEAN-EU relations, Vietnam co-chaired the ASEAN-EU Foreign Ministers' Meeting and proactively proposed and fostered many measures to strengthen bilateral ties towards a strategic partnership; encouraged the EU to actively make contributions to promoting peace, stability and building trust as well as supporting the ASEAN's central role in an evolving regional architecture and urged the two sides to continue to make efforts to effectively implement the ASEAN-EU Action Plan 2013-2017, increasing consultations on economic co-operation at the ministerial level as well as the organisation of the ASEAN-EU Business Summit.

Vietnam's active and constructive contributions were highly valued by other countries. Alongside the meetings, the Vietnamese delegation also had many bilateral meetings to discuss ways to strengthen bilateral ties as well as issues of common concern.

(Source: Nhandan Online)