Deputy Foreign Minister Bui Thanh Son said the event was significant not only for Laos but also for the effective cooperation between Asia and Europe, providing fresh impetus for maintaining peace, security, stability, and development in the two continents.

Themed “Friends for Peace, Partners for Prosperity”, the summit adopted the “Vientiane Declaration on Strengthening Partnership for Peace and Development”, the “Chair’s Statement”, and eleven initiatives launched by its members, he said.

By admitting three new members, namely Bangladesh, Norway, and Switzerland, Son said, ASEM now has 51 member nations, representing 60 percent of the world’s population and contributing to 50 percent of the world’s gross domestic products.

Regarding Vietnam’s contribution to the summit, Deputy Minister Son said PM Nguyen Tan Dung’s two initiatives on “ASEM Summit on natural disaster prevention and relief in coping with climate change” and an ASEM conference on the management of water and river basins towards green growth, were adopted at the summit.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung also proposed renewing the approach to deal with global issues based on a long-term multi-sector vision, along with implementing the UN MDGs, ensuring environmental protection, reducing poverty and securing gender equality.

PM Dung also reaffirmed ASEAN’s central role as well as its considerable efforts to ensure peace, cooperation and development and promote positive changes in the region. He said any dispute should be settled through peaceful negotiations in accordance to international law, mechanisms, and agreements, including ASEAN’s six-point principles on the East Sea.

As a proactive and responsible member, Son said, Vietnam has reaffirmed its role and position in this year’s summit with practical and effective contributions to boosting Asia-Europe relations and joining efforts with other members to recover economies, deal with global challenges, and maintaining peace, stability, cooperation and development in the two continents.

On the sidelines of the summit, PM Dung and his entourage also met with leaders of many other ASEM member nations, during which they discussed ways to boost friendship and multifaceted cooperation, especially in economics and trade.

Leaders of other nations highly valued Vietnam’s effort to stabilise and restructure the national economy and speed up its comprehensive international integration. They also agreed to enhance cooperation and partnership with Vietnam.

Source:VOV Online