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Vietnam will take the position of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) chair as of January 1, 2010.
This was announced at the closing ceremony of the 15th ASEAN Summit and related summits on Oct. 25 in Cha-am-Hua Hin, Thailand .
Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung delivered a speech on the ASEAN year, saying that “ASEAN cooperation is of strategic importance to Vietnam . Vietnam is and will always be an active and responsible member of ASEAN, thus making the Association stronger and better connected.”
He also said Vietnam is determined and gives top priority to successfully performing the 2010 ASEAN Chairmanship.
The PM highlighted Vietnam’s priorities for the next year, including enhancing ASEAN solidarity and links, translating the ASEAN Charter into reality, accelerating the building of the ASEAN Community as well as expanding and deepening cooperative ties between ASEAN and its partners, thus raising ASEAN role and position.
The ASEAN year will be themed “Toward the ASEAN Community: from vision to action.”
Later on the same day, PM Nguyen Tan Dung and the Vietnamese high-level delegation left Cha-am – Hua Hin, ending the visit to attend the 15 th ASEAN Summit and related summits.
ASEAN groups Brunei , Cambodia , Indonesia , Laos , Malaysia , Myanmar , the Philippines , Thailand , Singapore and Vietnam .
The ASEAN Summits and the related summits, including the ASEAN Plus One Summit, the ASEAN Plus Three Summit and the East Asia Summit (EAS), were held between Oct. 23 and 25.
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