Leaders of the 24th ASEAN Summit have agreed to enhance strong efforts to build an ASEAN Community by 2015 and continue boosting development beyond 2015.
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Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung (fourth, left) and his counterparts join hands yesterday at the ASEAN 24th Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar. — VNA/VNS Photo Duc Tam
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Speaking at the closing ceremony of the 24th ASEAN Summit yesterday in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, President U Thein Sein underscored that the association needed to strengthen solidarity and maintain unity to successfully build an ASEAN Community and effectively respond to new challenges.
The Summit also dedicated much attention to the East Sea issue. Amidst the serious situation in the East Sea caused by China's deployment of a drilling rig and a huge number of escort ships deep in Viet Nam's exclusive economic zone and continental shelf, ASEAN leaders affirmed that the association's members needed to raise a common voice to express deep concern and highlight the importance of strict implementation of international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).
The leaders agreed that all disputes must be settled by peaceful measures, practising self- restraint and not complicating the situation. They also highlighted the need to build a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) at an early date.
These contents are part of the Nay Pyi Taw Declaration on building an ASEAN Community by 2015. The declaration emphasises the need to strengthen cooperation to ensure the full and effective implementation of the DOC as well as principles widely acknowledged in international law and UNCLOS.
Myanmar President U Thein Sein, who presided over the event, hailed the significant contributions by leaders of the bloc to the success of the summit.
Leaders from the member countries agreed that the bloc needed to continue improving the mechanism to improve the operational and coordinative efficiency among its agencies, in addition to enhancing the operation of the ASEAN Secretariat to support the bloc's future targets.
Regarding the post-2015 development orientations, the leaders affirmed that the ASEAN Community should promote its key role in settling regional issues and concentrate on improving social welfare and coping with challenges posed by natural disasters and climate change.
Regarding diplomatic ties, attendees agreed to continue expanding and deepening relations with their regional partners, and realising cooperation agreements. Members should also promote cooperative ties with other potential nations and organisations outside the bloc, and increase coordination with them at international forums to elevate the association's role and position.
The ASEAN leaders also said the grouping should effectively promote existing tools of political-security partnerships such as the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in the East Sea (TAC), the Bali Principles and the DOC, while strengthening dialogue and cooperation frameworks to build trust in the region, including the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting Plus and the Asia Regional Forum.
Similar contents were also included in a Statement of the Chairman of the 24th ASEAN Summit released the same day.
PM meets Myanmar, Indonesian Presidents
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Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung meets with President U Thein Sein of Myanmar on the sidelines of the 24th ASEAN Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.— VNA/VNS Photo Duc Tam
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Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung yesterday attended separate meetings with President U Thein Sein of Myanmar and Indonesia's Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on the sidelines of the 24th ASEAN Summit in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar.
President U Thein Sein thanked Viet Nam for supporting the country in performing its ASEAN Chairmanship, affirming that Myanmar always attached importance to its traditional friendship with Viet Nam.
Along with enhancing the exchanges of delegations, high level meetings and people-to-people contact, Myanmar would create favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to invest in the country, particularly in the areas of oil and gas, banking and tourism, with the aim of achieving US$500 million in two-way trade by 2015, he said.
The Myanmar leader also said he hoped the eighth meeting of the Joint Committee on bilateral cooperation between the two countries and the seventh political consultation between the two Foreign Ministries would be held soon.
During the meeting, the two sides expressed their affirmation of growing bilateral ties. Both leaders said they highly valued collaboration between the two countries at regional and international forums, particularly in sub-regional cooperation frameworks such as the Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, the Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Viet Nam, the Greater Mekong Subregion and the East-West Economic Corridor.
They agreed to work with other ASEAN member countries to boost solidarity and build an ASEAN Community by 2015, while fostering a common voice for the community on regional and international matters, including the East Sea issue.
During his meeting with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, PM Dung congratulated the country on its successful parliamentary elections held recently, and spoke highly of the President's role in elevating bilateral ties to the strategic partnership level last June.
The two sides agreed to actively implement the plan of actions in the 2014-2018 period and hold the second meeting of their Joint Committee in 2014, while preparing for activities to celebrate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties in 2015.
Both leaders also said they were pleased with the close coordination of both nations at regional and international forums, especially at the ASEAN and the United Nations.
They pledged to continue working closely with other ASEAN members in successfully building an ASEAN Community of solidarity, consolidating ASEAN's central role in regional cooperation.
Regarding new developments in the East Sea , the Indonesian President expressed concern over the rising tension in the sea, holding that all disputes should be settled peacefully without military intervention.
Indonesia is willing to coordinate with Viet Nam and relevant parties in seeking suitable solutions to the matter, he affirmed./.