(VOVworld) – The 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM) opened in Vientiane, Laos on Sunday with the attendance of ten members of ASEAN and the bloc’s General Secretary Le Luong Minh.
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| At the opening ceremony of the AMM-49. |
The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.
In his opening speech, Laos' Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith underlined the importance of the AMM 49 and its related meetings which takes place at a time when ASEAN is exerting every effort to implement the ASEAN Vision 2025 and strengthen cooperation with its outside partners. In addition, the regional and international situations are rapidly changing offering both opportunities and challenges. Many regions around the world are encountering traditional and non-traditional security challenges including territorial disputes, terrorism and extremism, natural disasters, climate change, and illegal migration.
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| Laos’ PM Thongloun Sisoulith at the opening ceremony. |
The Lao Premier called on ASEAN Foreign Ministers and partner countries to hold frank and constructive talks to prepare for the ASEAN summit and related meetings scheduled to take place in September in Vientiane towards preserving and promoting peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and the world.
The plenary and retreat meetings of the AMM 49 were held later, where the ministers debate internal cooperation and the development of ASEAN’s external relations.
Other topics of dicussions include the ASEAN Political-Security Community Blueprint 2025, ASEAN’s central role, reform of ASEAN apparatus and working methods, and ASEAN Charter review. The meetings will take into consideration of Timor-Leste’s membership and countries who want to join the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation or to become ASEAN’s official partners.