Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Gia Khiem expressed their pride in Viet Nam’s contributions to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to mark the organisation’s 41st founding anniversary today.

In a speech broadcast on national television yesterday, PM Dung said that the achievements of ASEAN and its partners have laid an important foundation for the association to increase and intensify regional co-operation in the coming period as well as improve its role and prestige in the international arena.

"The leading important factor for ASEAN to continue to achieve successes in the new stage is that the association should promote concerted efforts to ensure a peaceful, stable and co-operative environment in the region on the basis of the goals and basic principles set by ASEAN in the Treaty of Amity and Co-operation (TAC) and the ASEAN Charter," the PM said.

"Member countries should continue to do their utmost to strengthen the association’s unity, increase friendship and the sense of community, promote co-operation and solve all differences by peaceful measures.

"Meanwhile, ASEAN should continue to play a leading role in regional matters, actively accelerate the process of negotiation and co-operation in the region, create opportunities for external partners to take part in and contribute to handling challenges to peace, security and development in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region."

The PM suggested that ASEAN make further efforts to improve the quality of "unity in diversity" in the spirit of common objectives and basic principles such as "consensus" and "non-interference".

"This requires each member country to make a strong political commitment to the ASEAN linkage process and the ASEAN family, further harmonising national interests with that of the whole ASEAN region for a common goal of the association," the PM said.

He went on to say that ASEAN should accelerate the implementation of programmes of actions to build the ASEAN Community by taking specific measures and preparing appropriate resources.

"ASEAN should take practical measures to quickly narrow the existing development gap between its member countries, particularly between the old and new members, through the efficient implementation of the ASEAN Linkage Initiatives," he said.

The Vietnamese Government leader also recommended that ASEAN member countries include their national development programmes into ASEAN connectivity programmes.

According to the PM, the impending task for the group is to quickly bring the ASEAN Charter to life.

"The charter will bring about a reform in the organisation-apparatus and mode of operation of the association, helping improve the quality and efficiency of co-operation between member countries," he said.

"Viet Nam is an organic part of ASEAN and holds a sense of responsibility to the ASEAN Family. Southeast Asia and ASEAN are of strategic significance to Viet Nam as they directly relate to Viet Nam’s security and development. A tightly-linked and united ASEAN has an important international role and its position is completely in line with Viet Nam’s basic and long-term interests," he said.

"Therefore, we always view ASEAN, in both multilateral and bilateral co-operation, as an important part of our foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralism, diversification and neighbourly friendship," he said

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Khiem also reflected upon Viet Nam’s contributions to ASEAN in honour of the anniversary.

He wrote that Viet Nam was proud of its remarkable and impressive contributions to ASEAN co-operation and development orientation as well as the group’s major policies, in an article marking the anniversary. Khiem wrote Viet Nam’s efforts had helped encourage solidarity and co-operation as well as increase the association’s international prestige.

He added that other ASEAN members and outside partners have all recognised Viet Nam as an active member with its important contributions to the growth of the group.

"In return, Viet Nam has gained numerous fruitful and practical benefits from the country’s ASEAN experiences in favour of the goals for national security and development as well as increasing the country’s international prestige," Khiem wrote.

He reiterated Viet Nam’s stand in favour of an ASEAN close alliance, solidarity and great unity with high international prestige.

He wrote the orientation of ASEAN development had met the major and long-term goals of Viet Nam, an integral part of Southeast Asia.

"ASEAN has always had an important position in Viet Nam’s external policy which calls for independence, self-determination, diversification and international and regional integration," he wrote.

Khiem called for greater efforts in joining with other member countries to build an ASEAN Community by 2015 and making the ASEAN charter a reality.

"We should be more active, take initiative and bear greater responsibility in relations with ASEAN," he wrote.

He urged participating agencies to further reform and renew their structure, working style and staff quality to increase the efficiency of co-operation within ASEAN.

Khiem emphasised the need to clearly identify responsibilities as well as foster close co-ordination among relevant ministries and agencies, especially the Foreign Ministry’s co-ordinating role, when participating in ASEAN operations.

Campaigns to raise public awareness on ASEAN and the country’s role were also of primary importance, according to the Deputy Prime Minister.

He also called for immediate preparations for the country to be sworn into the ASEAN chairmanship by 2010, that would include the convention of the ASEAN Summit and numerous ministerial meetings.

ASEAN has been the leading factor in maintaining an environment of peace, security and co-operation in Southeast Asia and efficiently supporting security and development objectives of each member country as well as the whole association, Khiem stressed.

He attributed ASEAN’s successes over the past 41 years to the sharing of basic benefits as well as vision and strong political determination and tireless efforts by member countries.

"The fact shows that ASEAN is a regional co-operation organisation full of vitality and adaptable to changes in the world situation," he noted.

According to the Deputy PM, despite many difficulties and challenges, ASEAN still eyes favourable premises to successfully implement its community building goal.

"That is the result of the regional co-operation over the past four decades and member countries’ common vision and strong political determination in line with the association’s sound decisions and road map," he emphasised.

"The ASEAN Charter will bring in a remarkable change in the association’s organisational apparatus and mode of operation, helping improve the quality and effectiveness of ASEAN co-operation."

"We have good reason to believe that ASEAN will achieve its great objectives set for the new stage of development," Khiem said.

                                                                                                      Source: VNS