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A solemn ceremony was held at the Ha Noi Opera House on August 7 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, who presided over the ceremony, said at the ceremony’s banquet that the prominent success of ASEAN over the past four decades has greatly contributed to the maintenance of peace and stability as well as the promotion of cooperation for development in the region. ASEAN’s external relations with its dialogue partners were strongly expanded and its position increasingly heightened in the world arena.
He went on to say that encouraged by the great achievements over the past 4 decades, ASEAN is endeavoring toward the establishment of a Community, based on three pillars namely the Security Community, the Economic Community and the Socio-Cultural Community. The ASEAN Community in the future will ensure long-lasting peace and stability in Southeast Asia as well as sustainable prosperity for all of our nations in the region.
The Deputy PM affirmed that on the way towards a dynamic and prosperous Community, Viet Nam will stand side by side with the brothers in the ASEAN family.
At the event, Singapore Ambassador to Viet Nam Lim Thuan Kuan, who is also Chairman of ASEAN Standing Committee in Ha Noi, said that forty years have passed, ASEAN has not only survived but also become a family of all 10 Southeast Asian countries.
On the historic occasion of ASEAN’s 40th anniversary, the ASEAN leaders will meet in Singapore in November 2007 for the 13th ASEAN Summit, he said. At the summit, he added, the ASEAN leaders will adopt the ASEAN Charter, which is considered a landmark in helping transform ASEAN into a more effective organisation.
The Singapore ambassador stressed that efforts will be strengthened to build an ASEAN Community that is embraced by its people.
PM Dung took this occasion to deliver a speech reviewing the establishment and development process of ASEAN over the past forty years. He stressed that ASEAN’s strength and position were increasingly enhanced as the Association has grown to embrace all 10 Southeast Asian nations. That helps consolidate regional peace, stability and prosperity, promote cooperation and linkages among ASEAN member states, enhance its position in the international arena, and create premises for the strong development in the future.
The government leader went on to say that through APEC, EAS and ARF, ASEAN has played a central role in boosting cooperation in East Asia and Asia Pacific for the sake of peace and development.
Besides persisting with the time-tested fundamental principles, namely respect for independence and sovereignty, non-interference, consensus, unity in diversity and cooperation on the basis of equality and mutual benefits, ASEAN should reform itself in many areas. There is an urgent need for the Association to improve its operational modality so that its cooperation will be more practical and effective. To increase ASEAN integration, bridging the gap among its members continues to be an extremely crucial and urgent task, PM Dung added.
The PM affirmed that through the ASEAN cooperation, Viet Nam has continued to consolidate a peaceful and stable external environment, expand cooperation with regional countries, particularly in the economic and trade areas, increase the country’s position and create premises for deeper integration into the regional and world economy.
He stressed that promotion of friendship and cooperation within ASEAN continues to be a priority in Viet Nam’s foreign policy of multilaterlisation and diversification.
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