Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh (front row, third from left) joined other ASEAN foreign ministers in the meeting with representatives of ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) in Bangkok on July 30

The meeting forms part of the ongoing 52nd ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting andrelated meetings.

Theyheard reports on the AICHR’s past operations and suggested directions for itsfuture activities, particularly the building of the AICHR’s 2020 PriorityProgramme and Work Plan for 2021 – 2025. 

Minhthen met with Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, during withboth agreed to boost the Vietnam – Indonesia strategic partnership in allfields, including maritime cooperation.

Discussingcommon concerns related to regional and international issues, they affirmed theimportance of reinforcing solidarity in ASEAN as well as the bloc’s centralrole.

The boosting of effective collaboration within ASEAN and between the bloc andits partners is also necessary, they said.

Regardingthe East Sea issue, the sides stated that parties involved need to comply withinternational law, particularly the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS) to maintain peace and stability, and reinforce mutual trust amongcountries.

Alsoon July 30, Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Quoc Dung had a meeting with hisIndian counterpart Vijay Thakur Singh to discuss measures to develop bilateral tiesas well as India’s cooperation with the Mekong sub-region.-VNA