Vietnam to Strengthen Asean Cooperation to Maintain Peace: Deputy PM

Vietnam will strengthen the cooperation of the Association of South East Asian Nations to maintain regional peace and security as it assumes the bloc’s presidency next year, Deputy Prime Minister-Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem told Asean General Secretary Surin Pitsuwan in Hanoi on Dec 23.

 

Mr Khiem noted that Vietnam is now ready to take over ASEAN presidency and underlined the cooperation within the bloc and the bloc with partners to foster regional peace and security.

 

Earlier Surin Pitsuwan proposed that Vietnam should put the East Sea, or the South China Sea issues on agenda when it takes the bloc presidency, noting the ASEAN leaders want to hear Vietnam’s measures to ease tensions.

 

Next year the communist country will host and preside over ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM plus 1 with big partners including the United States, China and Russia.

 

Surin Pitsuwan visited Vietnam December 22-23 to discuss the agenda and priorities of its imminent presidency.

 

On Dec. 23, he also met with Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who said Vietnam is ready to fulfill its role as ASEAN president. (VoV, Vietnamnet)