Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and his Kuwaiti counterpart Sabah Al Khalid Al Sabah on September 27 co-chaired the Meeting of Foreign Ministers of ASEAN and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) as a sidelines event of the 73rd Session of the UN General Assembly in New York. 

Deputy Prime Minister and FM Pham Binh Minh at the meeting

This is the first time foreign ministers of ASEAN and GCC have convened a meeting since 2014 with the aim of reviewing cooperation and discussing orientations to promote relations between the two sides in the coming time, as well as regional and international issues of common concern.

As the coordinator of the ASEAN- GCC relations in 2018, Deputy PM and FM Minh said that the ASEAN-GCC cooperation has achieved certain developments since the mechanism was officially established in 2009.

He highlighted huge potential for collaboration between ASEAN and GCC, especially in energy, infrastructure development and investment, saying that the two sides should actively discuss and propose concrete steps to further deepen their relationship in a more practical manner, thus benefiting the people of  both regions.

Sharing the view of the Vietnamese official, ministers of the two sides agreed to continue deepening cooperation, including the establishment of a five-year Collaborative Framework as a guiding document for cooperative activities in priority areas of their common interest such as trade, investment, sustainable development, energy, tourism, infrastructure, education and people-to-people exchange.

The two sides will also restart a number of consultative mechanisms at the political consultation and working levels, and foster cooperation between their Secretariats in order to discuss specific initiatives as well as explore new cooperation opportunities.

The GCC ministers affirmed that they attach importance to the ties with ASEAN, and pledged to actively assist the grouping in building its community and strengthening regional connectivity, towards bringing new vitality to the ASEAN-GCC cooperation.

ASEAN and GCC foreign ministers shared their views on regional and international issues of mutual concern such as economic protection, terrorism, geopolitical conflict, sustainable development, and climate change. 

They affirmed the importance of adherence to and respect for the rule of law, including the system of law-based international trade and the peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of international law. 

Ministers emphasised the role of inter-regional links and international efforts in addressing emerging common challenges for peace and prosperity in the world.-VNA