Vietnam has successfully hosted the 9th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM9), said Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem in an interview with the media after the FMM9 ended in Hanoi on May 26.

What is your assessment of the results obtained at the FMM9?

The FMM9 was the first Foreign Ministers’ Meeting since the membership of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) increased to 45 at ASEM7.

In the context of the current global challenges and the most serious financial and economic crisis since the great 1929-1933 depression, the FMM was extremely significant to ASEM members as it enabled them to devise measures to promote gains from ASEM7 and move towards ASEM8 scheduled for Belgium in 2010.

With the theme “Forging a Closer Asia- European Partnership to Address the Financial and Economic Crisis and Other Global Challenges”, the FMM9 achieved the following important results:

First, the FMM9 adopted solutions to overcome the crisis and promote economic cooperation within ASEM. It focused on the early organisation of the ASEM Economic Ministers’ Meeting slated for later this year in India and the ASEM Financial Ministers’ Meeting scheduled for Spain in 2010.

The meting also stressed on the need to promote closer cooperation to cope with global challenges such as epidemics, climate change, cooking security, energy security and maritime security. The meeting discussed international issues of mutual concern in a frank and constructive manner, enhancing the mutual understanding amongst ASEM members.

Second, the meeting agreed to continue to expand ASEM’s membership as the grouping now operates effectively and more and more countries want to join this attractive forum.

ASEM Foreign Ministers welcomed Australia and Russia’s application for ASEM membership and asked senior officials to discuss modes of cooperation so that both countries can be officially admitted to the organisation at ASEM8.

Third, the meeting approved specific initiatives for cooperation in information and technology, sustainable development and climate change.

Fourth, the event was an excellent opportunity for members to exchange their views on issues of common concern. On the sidelines of the FMM9, nearly 100 other meetings were conducted between the heads of delegations, thus helping to further strengthen bilateral cooperation among ASEM members.

The first foreign minister-level meeting between the EU and Myanmar was also held to promote mutual understanding.

The success of the FMM9 represents an important landmark in the ASEM cooperation process, sending out ASEM’s political message of responsibility, solidarity and cooperation in a harmonious and diverse way in order to cope with the financial and economic downturn and other global issues.

What contributions has Vietnam made to the success of the Meeting?

Vietnam has always helped to organize the event as an active member of ASEM and hosted the fifth ASEM Summit itself in 2004.

Vietnam has proposed several topics for the agenda for the ninth ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (FMM), which satisfies the members’ aspirations and complies with the international and regional situation. This partly explains the full participation of all ASEM members at senior level, with the presence of nearly 30 foreign ministers.

Vietnam also skillfully coordinated the Meeting and its fringe activities and has handled various ASEM members’ concerns in a flexible fashion. The country came up with many solutions to facilitate agreement among members.

At the meeting, Vietnam proposed an initiative on climate change and another initiative on economic cooperation and development. The 9^th FMM unanimously supported the implementation of these initiatives.

The country was delighted to serve as the venue for promoting cooperation between the Asian and European continents. Delegates to the 9^th FMM praised Vietnam for its efforts to hold all the activities at the event in a careful and comprehensive manner.

What is the significance of the 9^th FMM to Vietnam?

This is an important multilateral diplomatic event for Vietnam in 2009, and it is expected to assist the implementation of the Party and State’s policies on international integration. It also underlines that Vietnam is a friend and reliable partner, and an active and responsible member of the international community.

The successful hosting of the 9^th FMM will further enhance Vietnam’s status in the international arena, especially when the country has performed well in its role as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and is preparing to hold the ASEAN presidency in 2010.

In the context that Vietnam is expanding and deepening its external relations, the 9^th FMM provided a good opportunity for the country to strengthen its bilateral ties with many ASEM members, which are Vietnam’s strategic partners in the fields of economics and trade.

Also on the occasion, the Singaporean and Polish foreign ministers paid official visits to Vietnam, while the heads of the ASEAN member delegations held more than 40 talks with senior Vietnamese officials as well as several of the country’s ministries. All these have helped to broaden Vietnam’s cooperation with the mentioned partners.

The success of the 9^th FMM has also assisted in promoting Vietnam’s image as a country of peace and stability, with a dynamic developing economy, a friendly and hospitable people and an age-old culture full of identity. The event has also enabled Vietnam to highlight the 1000-year history of Thang Long-Hanoi, which is a peaceful, hospitable and dynamic capital city.

VietNamNet/VOV