Vietnam’s success in organising the ASEAN was shown in three respects. Firstly, ASEAN members expressed a broad consensus on the theme for ASEAN in 2010: “Towards an ASEAN Community: from Vision to Action”.
The theme is suitable for ASEAN in the context that the bloc is drawing up plans for building an ASEAN community by 2015.
In 2010, ASEAN will focus on boosting regional solidarity, effectively implementing the charter and roadmap to build the ASEAN Community, strengthening relations with its partners, encouraging cooperation to cope with climate change, natural disasters and diseases as well as raising the bloc’s status and role in the International arena.
At the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, the Ministers exchanged their views on the direction ASEAN should take in 2010 with two major issues: ASEAN Community Building and ASEAN’s External Relations.
The Ministers discussed measures to boost ASEAN’s partnerships with its partners, including the holding of various ASEAN summits with China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, and Second Summit between ASEAN and Russia, Second Summit between ASEAN and the US.
Tan Sri Rastam Mohd Isa, Secretary General of the Malaysian Foreign Ministry and head of the Malaysian delegation praised Vietnam’s thorough preparations to make ASEAN meetings successful by putting many topics of mutual concern on the table.
The foreign ministers also hailed Vietnam’s organisational activities in every area including logistics. The Indonesian Foreign Minister, Marty Natalegawa, said that Vietnam has entered its second week of taking over the ASEAN Chair and with the successful organisation of these meetings, Vietnam has started working in a favrouable and impressive manner. The Indonesian diplomat also expressed his hope that during Vietnam’s one-year term as ASEAN chair, ASEAN related issues will be fully dealt with. He said Indonesia is ready to work with Vietnamese leaders.
The success of the recent meetings gave ASEAN diplomats the chance to understand the dynamic developments in Vietnam
The Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Pham Gia Khiem said he saw the success of the ASEAN ministerial meetings in Da Nang city as a good start for Vietnam as ASEAN Chair. Vietnam will do its best and closely work with other ASEAN members to fulfill all the targets set for this year, Mr Khiem noted.