According to the Vietnamese PM, overcoming a lot of difficulties and challenges, ASEAN now becomes a regional ten-member organization of comprehensive cooperation and a dynamic and coherent political-economic entity with an increasingly important role. ASEAN is now an integral partner of many powers and centers in the world. The Association is also a vital factor to promote dialogue and cooperative processes at different levels in the Asia-Pacific Region.

PM Dũng pointed out that, ASEAN, to obtain more successes, should make greater joint efforts in maintaining an environment of peace, stability and cooperation in the region on the basis of its common targets and fundamental principles acknowledged in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) and the ASEAN Charter.

The PM suggested that ASEAN should improve its “unity in diversity” and that each and every member-nation should make strong political commitments to the process of ASEAN integration and the “ASEAN family”, harmonizing their own national interests and the common interests of the whole region, developing ASEAN’s traditional values and “ASEAN style”.

ASEAN should step up the implementation of programs and plans of actions to build up the ASEAN Community, narrow the development gap among the members, and effectively realize the ASEAN Initiative.

PM Dũng emphasized the immediate task to bring the ASEAN Charter into reality in order to improve the quality and effectiveness of ASEAN cooperation.

’’The Vietnamese Government and people will make greater and more practical contributions to the development of the Association, in the interests of ASEAN peoples, both at present and in the future,’’ concluded PM Dũng, adding that Việt Nam pledges to proactively take part in building up the ASEAN Community.

By Nguyên Hồ