Empowered by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Gia Khiem, Permanent Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh attended the meeting of the ASEAN Political-Security Council (APSC), the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) and the meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC). Minister of Industry and Trade Vu Huy Hoang attended the Meeting of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Council.

At the ACC meeting, the highest preparatory body of the ASEAN Summit, the ASEAN foreign ministers checked for the final time preparations for ASEAN-18, scheduled for May 7-8, and finalised draft joint statements to be submitted at ASEAN-18 for approval.

The draft joint statements include the ideas from the global community for the joint statement on the ASEAN Community at the 19^th ASEAN Summit in November 2011, the joint statement on establishing the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, and the joint statement on strengthening cooperation in the fight against human trafficking in Southeast Asia.

The ministers heard reports from subordinate bodies and the ASEAN Secretary General on implementing the plan for building the ASEAN Community as well as the ASEAN Connectivity Initiative and the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI). They also discussed measures to accelerate the master plan for building the ASEAN community.

The ministers debated measures and methods to strengthen ASEAN’s central role in regional mechanisms and forums. To prepare for Russian and US leaders to attend the expanded East Asia Summit later this year, the ministers agreed to invite Russia and the US to join in the preparation process.

At the APSC meeting, the ministers applauded progress of the master plan for building the APSC, particularly in 14 prioritised areas, and the effective implementation of mechanisms for regional peace, stability and cooperation, including the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ), the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

At the AMM, the ministers reviewed and discussed the deployment of the results from the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meetings since the beginning of this year.

ASEAN-18 officially opened in Jakarta on May 7, with a series of plenary and retreat sessions for ASEAN leaders.