(VOVworld) – The 25th ASEAN Summit opened in Myanmar on Wednesday. In his opening speech, Summit Chairman, Myanmar President Thein Sein said that unity and unification were the preconditions and basis for ASEAN to become a community and raise its prestige and voice in the region and the world.
After the opening ceremony, ASEAN leaders attended a plenary session to discuss the roadmap to build an ASEAN Community and post-2015 directions and ways to promote relations with ASEAN’s partners on regional and global issues of mutual concern.
They expressed their concern over the complex situation in the East Sea and stressed the importance of the maintenance of peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea. They said that international law including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea must be recognized and disputes must be settled peacefully based on the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), particularly Article 5 regarding practicing self-restraint, not further complicating the situation and escalating tensions, and boosting practical negotiations between ASEAN and China for a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).
 |
Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said ASEAN should be more proactive and responsible in maintaining peace, security, and stability in the region and should urge all parties to respect and implement all regulations, particularly Article 5 of the DOC. He added that ASEAN and China should specify measures and devise mechanisms to fully implement the DOC, especially Article 5 and enter practical negotiations for a binding COC.
Prime Minister Dung said that peace, cooperation and development continued to be the dominating trend in East Asia. Concerning increasing terrorism and violence in Iraq and Syria, he said that together with the world community Vietnam denounced terrorism in any form. He said that ASEAN should prioritize effective measures, take advantage of support from the World Health Organization, and foster internal coordination to prevent the spread of Ebola. Regarding the ASEAN Community and its post-2015 development, he said that together with other ASEAN members, Vietnam would make greater efforts next year to fulfill the roadmap to construct an ASEAN Community as scheduled.
 |
Following the closing ceremony, ASEAN leaders approved the Nay Pyi Taw Declaration on the ASEAN Community’s post 2015 vision, which would be the basis for the development during the 2016-2025 period. They also endorsed the ASEAN Declaration on increasing the capacity of the ASEAN Secretariat and the effectiveness of coordination between ASEAN agencies and the ASEAN Declaration on Climate Change.