Prime Minister hosts ASEAN Secretary-General
VGP - Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh hosted a reception for ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn in Ha Noi on April 23.
Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh (R) hosts a reception for ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Ha Noi, April 23, 2024 - Photo: VGP
The ASEAN Secretary-General is on a working visit to Viet Nam to attend the ASEAN Future Forum 2024.
Pham spoke highly of the ASEAN Secretariat and Kao's contributions to the ASEAN Community, adding that the bloc needs to maintain its solidarity, independence, self-reliance and adaptation to the regional and global volatility.
The bloc should boost dialogue relations with its partners, in the direction of balance, diversification, multilateralization, harmonizing benefits and sharing risks, and reducing disagreements for an environment of peace, cooperation and development in the region, and for a strong, independent, resilient and adaptive ASEAN, he recommended.
The Prime Minister highlighted the significance of maintaining solidarity, unity and central role of ASEAN in promoting the settlement of regional issues.
Regarding the East Sea issue, he affirmed that ASEAN is adopting a rational approach and maintaining its key role in promoting dialogues, handling disagreements via peaceful measures and in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS), preventing the escalation of tensions and conflicts, and ensuring peace, security and freedom of navigation and aviation in the region.
Regarding the situation in Myanmar, Pham asserted that Viet Nam and other ASEAN member states always support humanitarian assistance efforts of the bloc and its partners in Myanmar, expecting that ASEAN will continue to steadfastly implement the Five-Point Consensus to support Myanmar.
He said that Viet Nam supports Laos as the Chair of ASEAN 2024 and the Special Envoy of the Chair on Myanmar.
The bloc needs to unite together, promote more innovative and breakthrough approaches to support Myanmar in seeking feasible and sustainable solutions for the benefit of the people of Myanmar, and for peace, security, and stability in the region, the PM stressed.
For his part, Kao said the the ASEAN Future Forum is an important initiative, reflecting the strategic vision of Viet Nam in promoting the establishment of a dedicated ASEAN forum on the future of the bloc.
Regarding the Myanmar situation, Kao said ASEAN needs to prompt relevant parties in Myanmar to increase meetings and dialogues for the interest of the Myanmar people and for peace and stability in the region.
For the East Sea issue, he welcomed and praised Viet Nam's strategic thinking and appropriate approach.
He expressed his hope that all parties will promote negotiations towards the completion of a practical, effective and suitable Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) based on international law, including the UNCLOS 1982, and for the benefit of ASEAN.
On this occasion, the two sides exchanged views on other ASEAN cooperation issues such as promoting Timor Leste's efforts to become a full member of the group and enhancing the capacity of the ASEAN Secretariat by recruiting competent officials from the bloc's member countries, including Viet Nam./.
