Mr Pitsuwan expressed his belief that with its political stability, and strong and dynamic economic growth, Vietnam will make a great contribution to the development of ASEAN in general and enable the grouping to reach its targets.

Regarding Vietnam’s holding the ASEAN presidency in 2010, Mr Pitsuwan said he hopes it will put forward initiatives and play a leading role in making ASEAN better known around the world. Currently, Vietnam is a prestigious nation and an attractive destination for foreign investors and ASEAN will enjoy many benefits from Vietnam when it takes over the ASEAN chair, he said.

Mr Pitsuwan added that Vietnam will help narrow the development gap between member nations so that ASEAN can become a common community for the whole region. 

During his two-day visit to Vietnam starting on December 22, Mr Pitsuwan will meet with Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, deputy PM Pham Gia Khiem and the ministers of Industry and Trade, Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.