A Vietnamese delegation led by Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung has attended the Executive Committee of the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ)’s conference and the meeting between ASEAN foreign ministers and representatives from the ASEAN Inter-governmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR). 


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The Executive Committee of the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ) meeting in Singapore on August 1 (Source: BNG)


The two meetings convened in Singapore on August 1 in the framework of the 51st ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM-51) and related meetings.  

Speaking at the events, Deputy FM Dung, who is also head of SOM ASEAN Vietnam, emphasised that the AICHR should further improve its efficiency, and actively propose and implement practical activities to contribute to building a people-centred ASEAN Community and maintaining the group’s key role in promoting cooperation activities. 

ASEAN should also continue cooperation efforts in the fight against nuclear proliferation, and put the SEANWFZ into force, for the peaceful life of the people, as well as for peace, security and stability in the region, he noted. 

At the meeting between ASEAN FMs and AICHR representatives, participants heard a report by the AICHR’s representatives and acknowledged positive results that the commission has made in promoting cooperation on regional human rights-related issues, including many practical activities to support people with disabilities, prevent human trafficking, and raise public awareness of human rights.

Ministers discussed the AICHR’s activities planned for 2019 and given opinions on the orientation for the commission’s operation in the coming time. 

They agreed that the AICHR should continue to abide by ASEAN's guiding principles, assure the leading role of ASEAN in regional cooperation on human rights, strengthen coordination and close linkages with ASEAN’s specialised channels, and ensure effective use of resources.

At the SEANWFZ meeting, ASEAN member nations continued to affirm their commitment to maintaining a nuclear weapon-free Southeast Asian region, while welcoming the positive progresses made by the bloc last year in engaging in international treaties and conventions on preventing proliferation of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction; and in implementing the SEANWFZ Plan of Action. 

Ministers also discussed remaining issues related to the SEANWFZ Treaty, the joining of countries owning nuclear weapons in the signing of the Treaty’s Protocol, as well as measures to enhance cooperation between ASEAN and international partners and organisations on the use of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and development. 

The AMM-51 will officially kick off on August 2 along with the Ministers’ Meeting on Mekong - Langang Cooperation (MLC) and the ASEAN-India Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.

Vietnam commits to practically promote EAS cooperation


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Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung 



Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung asserted Vietnam's commitment to extensively and practically accelerate the ASEAN +3 and EAS cooperation mechanisms at related meetings and  in Singapore on August 1. 

Dung, who is also head of Vietnam ASEAN SOM, stressed that Vietnam actively supports and promotes priority cooperation areas of ASEAN +3 and EAS.

He expressed the hope that partners will continue to support the central role of ASEAN, and join efforts to consolidate an opening, transparent and rule-based regional structure for peace, stability and development in the region.

The meetings focused discussions on preparations for the 19th ASEAN +3 Foreign Ministers' Meeting and the 8th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting (8th EAS FMM) scheduled to take place on August 4. 

Participants to the ASEAN+3 meeting highlighted the importance of the ASEAN 3 cooperation mechanism as a tool towards a long-term goal of the community building in East Asia after 20 years of formation and development, affirming that this is an integral component of the regional cooperation architecture. 

They also reviewed the results of the implementation of the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Cooperation Work Plan for the 2018-2022 period and the implementation of recommendations in the Report of the East Asia Vision Group II (EAVGII) in recent times. 

They stressed the need to continue promoting specific and practical cooperation in areas of common interest and priority, such as counterterrorism and extreme violence  prevention; maritime cooperation; economic integration and regional connection; macro-financial stability, small and medium sized-enterprise development, health, climate change, disaster response, food security, cultural exchange and people-to-people exchange. 

The meeting agreed on the importance of accelerating efforts to complete negotiations on the Regional Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) on schedule, and maintain the ASEAN+3’s contributions to promoting economic links and market opening in the region.

ASEAN 3 senior officials agreed that the planed agenda and activities and draft documents that will be reported to the 19th ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers' Meeting, while debating preparations for the 21st ASEAN+3 Summit in November 2018. 

Meanwhile, officials to the EAS meeting emphasized the important role played by the EAS as a forum for leaders to promote dialogue on strategically political and economic issues, thus bringing recorded benefits for peace, stability and cooperation in the region.

They affirmed their commitment to invest appropriate resources for the implementation of the Manila Action Plan in the 2018-2022 period of the EAS. 

The EAS’s member nations agreed to foster cooperation in priority areas in the Plan and said that they will offer more specific cooperation proposals in areas such as maritime cooperation, health and education, environmental protection, disaster response, creativity, energy, and e-commerce. 

In preparation for the 8th EAS FMM on August 4, and the 13th EAS Summit to be held on November this year, participants discussed and basically agreed on documents that will be reported to foreign ministers before submitting to senior leaders on promoting EAS cooperation in the spheres of smart city development, counterterrorism, minimization of plastic waste at sea, nuclear and information security. 

The ASEAN+3 comprises ten member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam - and China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK).


VNA