The 14th ASEAN summit has concluded with the Cha-am Hua Hin Declaration on the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community by 2015. It also discussed and approved many measures to strengthen cooperation within the bloc.

On the morning of March 1, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and leaders of the other ASEAN member countries attended a high-level private meeting and signed many important summit documents, including those on measures to deal with the global economic and financial crisis, realizing the ASEAN Charter and accelerating efforts to build an ASEAN Community.

At the meeting, PM Dung highlighted the significance of the Charter and stressed ASEAN solidarity as a crucial factor to ensure the success of connectedness within the bloc towards the final goal of a complete ASEAN Community by 2015 for the sake of peace, stability and development in the region.

Regarding the global financial crunch, Mr Dung emphasized the need to work out bold and consistent measures at national, regional and international levels. Each ASEAN country must strengthen its own financial and banking institutions, ensure the safety of its financial system, and bolster investors’ confidence, he said. ASEAN should intensify financial and monetary cooperation with the region’s major economies which have abundant foreign currency reserves such as China, Japan and the Republic of Korea.

PM Dung shared with the other leaders Vietnam’s experience in coping with the impact of the crisis and addressing social security problems, especially in supporting small- and medium-sized enterprises, unemployed workers and migrant workers.

The leader proposed further cooperation based on the ASEAN overall framework agreement and the ASEAN Action Strategy on Food Security for 2009-2013. He asked ASEAN member countries to consider establishing a standby fund for the region’s cooking security.

The 14^th ASEAN Summit agreed that countries in the region need to boost cooperation, coordinate their macro-economic policies, and apply economic stimulus measures.

The leaders of the ASEAN member countries highlighted the need to continue worldwide trade liberalization, remove protectionism and non-tariff barriers, and promote the Doha round of negotiations.

The Summit called on developed countries to cooperate with developing countries to restore and ensure the operations of the financial markets. It urged the international community to quickly work out measures to reform the global financial system and pay more attention to the role and voice of developing countries.

Delegates to the summit affirmed their determination to strengthen links in an ASEAN bloc and build the ASEAN Community by 2015. They pledged to actively contribute to narrowing the developmental gaps among ASEAN member countries and to establishing the Community.

The ASEAN leaders signed the Cha Am-Hua Hin Declaration on the roadmap for an ASEAN Community by 2015.

Documents adopted by ASEAN leaders included blueprints for the ASEAN political-security community and the ASEAN socio-cultural community, the 2^nd initiative for the ASEAN Integration (IAI) work plan, a joint declaration on attaining the Millennium Development Goals and a statement on food security in the region.

They also signed the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement and an agreement to establish an ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand free trade area.

Many important bilateral agreements signed

Many important bilateral agreements relating to both economic and political issues were reached at the 14^th ASEAN Summit.

The governments of Australia and New Zealand officially recognised Vietnam’s market economy status and pledged to grant equal treatment to Vietnam regarding the World Trade Organisation (WTO)’s regulations on anti-dumping prices and subsidies for Vietnamese exports.

This was a new development in the friendship and multifaceted cooperation between Vietnam and Australia and New Zealand, affirming Vietnam’s achievements and orientation in building a healthy market economy in accordance with international rules.

Vietnamese Minister of Trade and Industry, Vu Huy Hoang, said that the government of New Zealand pledged to give priority to recruiting skilled Vietnamese workers in New Zealand. This is the first ASEAN partner to grant preferential treatment for Vietnamese guest workers.

Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Thai counterpart, Abhisit Vejjajiva, agreed to resume meetings of the trade sub-committee of the Vietnam-Thailand Joint Committee and maintain the working group on politics and security between the two countries to boost bilateral cooperation in investment, trade, tourism, agriculture, labour export, culture, education, security and national defence, as well as increasing joint sea patrols and operations to combat crime.

This March, a Thai government delegation will visit Vietnam to increase cooperation in rice exportation at all levels.

ASEAN has been one of Vietnam’s most important partners because of the geographical proximity of the member countries and the recent removal of tariff and non-tariff barriers in line with the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA). In 2008, Vietnam’s exports to the ASEAN market reached nearly US$11 billion, accounting for 17 percent of the country’s total export turnover. By December 2008, ASEAN investors had pledged to pour more than US$60 billion into Vietnam.

VietNamNet/VOV