ASEAN senior officials’ meeting focuses on internal solidarity

Friday, July 22, 2016 | 18:21:58

(VOVworld) - The ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) opened in Vientiane, Laos, on Friday, with the aim of preparing for the 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related meetings slated for two days later.

ASEAN senior officials’ meeting focuses on internal solidarity - ảnh 1

Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung in an interview with the media

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung.

Participating senior officials discussed the AMM agenda and reviewed documents to be approved at these meetings.

Foreign ministers will give their opinions on prioritized issues in ASEAN cooperation and cooperation between ASEAN and its partners, with the focus on internal solidarity, unity, and the bloc’s central role.

Also high on the agenda will be the implementation of the ASEAN Community vision 2025, the bloc’s improved effectiveness, increased cooperation in response to challenges, and the directions to boost relations between ASEAN and its partners.

They will also discuss preparations for the ASEAN summit and summits between ASEAN and its partners slated for early September in Vientiane.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers are expected to adopt a joint communiqué of the 49^th AMM, a statement to mark the 40^th anniversary of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) in Southeast Asia, the ASEAN-China joint declaration on fully implementing the Code of Conduct in the East Sea, and declarations from the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) on the strengthened management of border areas to combat the shifting of crime, recent terror attacks, and cooperation against illegal fishing.

At the ASEAN Senior Officials’ Meeting, participating countries agreed to implement the master plan of Vision 2025, boost the effectiveness of ASEAN agencies, insist on the significance of being united, tap the central role of ASEAN in the region against the complicated situations in the world and assert that the ASEAN Community has been newly put into operation.

On Saturday, there will be a meeting among senior officials of ASEAN and China, the Republic of Korea, and Japan and the East Asia Summit with China, the Republic of Korea, Japan, the US, Russia, India, Australia, and New Zealand in preparation for the AMM plus 3 and the EAS to take place next Tuesday.