Prime Minister highlights ASEAN's important role
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung gives The ASEAN Lecture collections to ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan in Ha Noi yesterday to mark the group's anniversaries. — VNA/VNS
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung gives The ASEAN Lecture collections to ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan in Ha Noi yesterday to mark the group's anniversaries. — VNA/VNS
HA NOI — Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung attended a ceremony to mark the 43rd anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN and the 15th anniversary of Viet Nam's accession to the bloc in Ha Noi on Saturday.
"ASEAN is the most important element that is responsible for maintaining peace, security and co-operation for development in the region," he said in his opening speech. The PM added that the bloc was the driving force that promoted co-operation and relations in East Asia, particularly in economics and trade.
With its strategic geographical position in the region as well as its open policies, ASEAN had become an indispensable partner to major countries and centres around the world, he stressed.
In his speech, Dung recalled the association's unceasing developments during the past 43 years and affirmed the bloc's important role in contributing to peace, stability, mutual understanding and trust in the region.
"Results from ASEAN co-operation, both within the bloc and with outside partners, have created an important material premise for the association to deepen and expand its regional relations," he said.
To further enhance regional co-operation in the future, the PM said ASEAN needed to continue to maintain regional peace and security, while appropriately dealing with latent risks that might cause unrest.
Regarding economic integration, Dung said the effective implementation of existing agreements were crucial to the future success of the organisation. Therefore, relevant countries needed to be committed to liberalising their markets and continue to remove projectionist barriers that would impede the region's economic integration.
As a proactive, positive and responsible member of ASEAN, Dung said Viet Nam would spare no effort to successfully build the ASEAN Community by 2015 and be dedicated to the organisation's goal: "Toward the ASEAN Community: from Vision to Action."
"Viet Nam has and will continue to join hands with other ASEAN members and partners to strive for an ASEAN Community that promotes unity, integrity and prosperity, for a Southeast Asia and an East Asia of peace, stability, co-operation and development," he pledged.
At the occasion, ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan spoke highly of Viet Nam's contributions to ASEAN.
Viet Nam had shown that ASEAN was an important element to the country's foreign policy, and the nation had illustrated its dedication to raising the bloc's prestige and position on the international arena this year, the ASEAN chief said.
Founded in 1967, ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, has 10 member countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
A sports exchange among ASEAN countries was organised on Saturday in Ha Noi to celebrate the 43rd anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN and the 15th year of Viet Nam's ASEAN membership.
Officials and staff from the embassies of ASEAN countries and Vietnamese ministries and departments competed in tennis, badminton, table tennis and football in a friendly atmosphere, which illustrated the solidarity among the organisation's members.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dao Viet Trung said the event was also a chance for Viet Nam to strengthen its relations and learn from ASEAN nations.
Speaking at the event, Indonesian Ambassador to Viet Nam Pitonu Purnomo said this event provided ASEAN diplomats with a chance to exchange their cultural customs with each other.
The ambassador also praised the positive contributions Viet Nam's had made during the country's tenure as the ASEAN chair.
March for ASEAN
More than 10,000 Hanoians and international participants walked together around Hoan Kiem Lake yesterday morning during a march for "An ASEAN Community for peace and prosperity".
The march was organised by the Ha Noi People's Committee and the National Committee of ASEAN 2010. The event celebrated the 43rd anniversary of the founding of ASEAN and the 15th anniversary of Viet Nam's acceptance into ASEAN.
The event illuminated the solidarity and friendship among ASEAN's members, said Ngo Thi Thanh Hang, deputy chairwoman of the committee. — VNS
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With its strategic geographical position in the region as well as its open policies, ASEAN had become an indispensable partner to major countries and centres around the world, he stressed.
In his speech, Dung recalled the association's unceasing developments during the past 43 years and affirmed the bloc's important role in contributing to peace, stability, mutual understanding and trust in the region.
"Results from ASEAN co-operation, both within the bloc and with outside partners, have created an important material premise for the association to deepen and expand its regional relations," he said.
To further enhance regional co-operation in the future, the PM said ASEAN needed to continue to maintain regional peace and security, while appropriately dealing with latent risks that might cause unrest.
Regarding economic integration, Dung said the effective implementation of existing agreements were crucial to the future success of the organisation. Therefore, relevant countries needed to be committed to liberalising their markets and continue to remove projectionist barriers that would impede the region's economic integration.
As a proactive, positive and responsible member of ASEAN, Dung said Viet Nam would spare no effort to successfully build the ASEAN Community by 2015 and be dedicated to the organisation's goal: "Toward the ASEAN Community: from Vision to Action."
"Viet Nam has and will continue to join hands with other ASEAN members and partners to strive for an ASEAN Community that promotes unity, integrity and prosperity, for a Southeast Asia and an East Asia of peace, stability, co-operation and development," he pledged.
At the occasion, ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan spoke highly of Viet Nam's contributions to ASEAN.
Viet Nam had shown that ASEAN was an important element to the country's foreign policy, and the nation had illustrated its dedication to raising the bloc's prestige and position on the international arena this year, the ASEAN chief said.
Founded in 1967, ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, has 10 member countries, including Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Viet Nam.
A sports exchange among ASEAN countries was organised on Saturday in Ha Noi to celebrate the 43rd anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN and the 15th year of Viet Nam's ASEAN membership.
Officials and staff from the embassies of ASEAN countries and Vietnamese ministries and departments competed in tennis, badminton, table tennis and football in a friendly atmosphere, which illustrated the solidarity among the organisation's members.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dao Viet Trung said the event was also a chance for Viet Nam to strengthen its relations and learn from ASEAN nations.
Speaking at the event, Indonesian Ambassador to Viet Nam Pitonu Purnomo said this event provided ASEAN diplomats with a chance to exchange their cultural customs with each other.
The ambassador also praised the positive contributions Viet Nam's had made during the country's tenure as the ASEAN chair.
March for ASEAN
More than 10,000 Hanoians and international participants walked together around Hoan Kiem Lake yesterday morning during a march for "An ASEAN Community for peace and prosperity".
The march was organised by the Ha Noi People's Committee and the National Committee of ASEAN 2010. The event celebrated the 43rd anniversary of the founding of ASEAN and the 15th anniversary of Viet Nam's acceptance into ASEAN.
The event illuminated the solidarity and friendship among ASEAN's members, said Ngo Thi Thanh Hang, deputy chairwoman of the committee. — VNS
http://www.einnews.com
