ASEAN, EU deepen dialogue and cooperative ties

VNGOVNet – The 16th ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting (AEMM) was convened on March 14-15, 2007 in Nuremberg, Federal Republic of Germany. The meeting was attended by the representatives of ten ASEAN members and 27 EU countries. The Vietnamese delegation was headed by Standing Deputy Foreign Minister Lê Công Phụng.

March 17, 2007 9:08 AM GMT+7

The Meeting was organized in the context when ASEAN and EU are preparing the 30^th anniversary of the establishment of the ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relation, the 40^th anniversary of the ASEAN founding and the 50^th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome to establish the European Economic Community (EEC). The Meeting reviewed the cooperation between ASEAN and EU over the past time, especially after the AEMM-15 in Jakarta, Indonesia and agreed that the two sides have gained many good results in various fields, particularly politics, security and economy-trade. Facing new changes in both regions and the world, the Meeting came to the determination to deepen the ASEAN-EU dialogue and cooperative relationship for the mutual interests, which is the foundation for the strategic partnership between Asia and Europe. The Meeting ratified the Nuremberg Statement on the ASEAN-EU Solidified Partnership to create a comprehensive, sustainable and long-term frame for the cooperation between ASEAN and EU. The two sides will design plans of action with specific and feasible measures to put the Statement into reality.

The Meeting also discussed international and regional issues of common concern. EU highly appreciated recent progresses made by ASEAN, especially efforts to build an ASEAN Community and bring into play its central role in the emerging structure in the region. EU pledged to continue supporting ASEAN in this process. EU also reconfirmed its wish to take part in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) which is a long-term commitment by ASEAN to peace and security in the region.

Addressing the Meeting, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Lê Công Phụng asked EU to further help ASEAN in building the community, sharing experience, increasing capacity, setting up institutions, and narrowing development gaps through the Vientiane Action Program(VAP), Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) and other subregion development programs.

On the sideline of the Meeting, Deputy Foreign Minister Lê Công Phụng had bilateral meetings with heads of some EU delegations to discuss solutions promoting the cooperation between Vietnam and these countries.

By Hồng Phương