ASEAN needs to define annual priorities and specific goals

PM Nguyễn Tấn Dũng (3rd from right) at the plenary session of the 18th ASEAN Summit, Jakarta, Indonesia, May 7, 2011 - Photo: VGP

ASEAN should also nominated agencies responsible for each cooperative area and expand coordination between the agencies responsible for each and all three pillars of the community, PM Dũng said.

At the same time, ASEAN should explore different ways of attracting funds which are of vital importance to the realization of the region’s connectivity master schemes and projects.

Besides, the region also needs to focus on cooperation to narrowing development gap. The implementation of the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity will lay a firm foundation for the building of the ASEAN Community by 2015.

At the plenary session, ASEAN leaders noted the significant progress toward forming the ASEAN Community with its three pillars and acknowledged the challenges faced by ASEAN in its efforts to establish the ASEAN Community.

They agreed to increase the efforts by each individual member state and collective efforts to achieve the establishment of the ASEAN Community by 2015.

The leaders emphasized the need to promoting the Association’s existing mechanism and develop common standards of conducts for strengthening the peaceful environment, stability, cooperation in the region, solve disputes through peaceful solutions in accordance with the ASEAN Charter and international laws.

They agreed to increase cooperation in response to non-traditional security challenges, such as food and energy security, nuclear safety, security, maritime safety and climate changes.

PM Dũng also attended the meetings between ASEAN leaders and representatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA), ASEAN Youth and Civil Society Organizations.

By Hải Minh