Photo: FAZRY ISMAIL/epa.eu

(VOVworld) - The 48^th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting opened on Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Vietnamese delegation is led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh. Speaking at the opening ceremony, Malaysia’s Foreign Minister Anifah Aman, who is chairman of the 48^th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, reiterated ASEAN’s determination to implement the region’s set targets: to build a united ASEAN with common principles and values for the entire region. He stressed that ASEAN is moving toward the establishment of a single community, marking a milestone in ASEAN’s development over the past 48 years. He asserted that the Community would bring about new opportunities for people of ASEAN and around the world as well.

After the opening ceremony, the Foreign Ministers had closed-door meetings to discuss issues of shared concerns. High on the agenda are measures to implement the region’s common goals, aiming to build an ASEAN Community of political coherence, economic connection and the sharing of social responsibility. Discussions also focused on ways to promote ASEAN’s external activities and its central role in addressing the region’s important issues, boosting ASEAN connectivity to expand the bloc’s connection in East Asia, and establishing the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

Ministers will also discuss ASEAN’s active role in ensuring the region’s peaceful environment, security and stability. They looked at ways to further promote regional tools, including political and security forums such as ARF, EAS, ADMM+, and documents including the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapons-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ). Measures discussed will also include ways to address traditional and non-traditional security challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, and epidemics.