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Viet Nam
has worked hard to raise the profile of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM), said
Pham Gia Khiem, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and foreign minister, at the
group’s 10th workshop in Hungary on Monday and Tuesday.
Khiem
headed the Vietnamese delegation at the meeting, which had the theme “Working
together on non-traditional security challenges”.
As a
former host nation, representatives from Viet Nam were invited to deliver
speeches at the opening ceremony.
In his
speech, Khiem said: “Viet Nam, together with other ASEAN members, reaffirm
ASEAN’s central role in shaping regional structure, which is reflected in its
efforts to build the ASEAN Community by 2015 and its drive to deepen relations
with partners.”
Many
ASEM members agreed with Viet Nam when it came to consolidating peace, security
and development in the region, particularly marine safety and security, he said.
He also
suggested that ASEM strive to tackle non-traditional security challenges such as
climate change and natural disasters. He said ASEM needed to establish
programmes on sustainable development, poverty reduction and with narrowing the
development gap.
“Many
ASEM members said they highly valued Viet Nam’s proposal on strengthening
co-operation and sharing experience in sustainable management, exploitation and
the shared use of rivers running through several territories such as the Danube
and the Mekong. Efforts should also be made to boost co-operation on economic
development and disease prevention,” Khiem said.
The
meeting congratulated Viet Nam in being named host of the fourth ASEM Labour and
Employment Ministers’ Conference in 2012.
Khiem
said the exchanges focused on measures to boost bilateral relations and
co-ordination on international and regional issues of common concern.
ASEM
members praised the rapid development of co-operation with Viet Nam and
applauded the country’s chairing of ASEAN in 2010 and its hosting of the 9th
ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in 2009.
ASEM
members agreed to boost the number of high-ranking visits by senior officials
and to speed up the implementation of signed agreements and official development
assistance. He added that they had also agreed to make every effort to sign the
Viet Nam-EU comprehensive partnership and co-operation agreement, and to hold
further negotiations on the Viet Nam-EU Free Trade Agreement (FTA), while
expanding co-operation in various fields. Delegates also discussed recent
developments in the East Sea, Khiem said.
The
deputy prime minister added that since ASEM’s founding 15 years ago the world
had to deal with a series of security challenges, and that the 10th ASEM Foreign
Ministers’ Meeting had focused on regional and international issues as well
European - Asian co-operation.
During
the meeting, participants agreed on the importance of applying multi-lateral
action to settle global issues and the need for the United Nations to settle
international issues.
They
also agreed that the world economy was on the path to recovery after the
financial crisis. However, they said challenges such as inflation, public debt
and unemployment remained.
They
also voiced their support for the objectives set out by the G20 and the
consolidation of multi-lateral trade. They said they hoped the Doha Round Table
talks would bear fruit and supported the reform of the World Bank and the IMF to
benefit emerging economies and developing nations.
ASEM
foreign ministers reiterated their commitment to further consolidating trade and
investment among ASEM member states, while implementing the UN Millennium
Development Goals on reducing poverty and ensuring social security.
During
the meeting, Khiem held separate meetings with Catherine Ashton, senior
representative on foreign policies and security at the European Union; Steven
Vanackere, Belgian deputy prime minister and foreign minister; Janos Martoneyi,
Hungarian foreign minister; Matsumoto Takeaki, Japanese foreign minister; Marty
Natalegawa, Indonesian foreign minister and Kasiviswanathen Shanmugam,
Singaporean foreign minister.
The
talks focused on measures to promote bilateral relations and international and
regional events.
The
meeting concluded on Tuesday afternoon with the adoption of the Presidents’
Statement that set out ASEM’s future orientation and programmes for discussion.
The 11th
ASEM Foreign Ministers’ Meeting will be held in India in 2013.
VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News | 
