Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung made the comment in his speech delivered on the occasion of the 44th founding anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), which falls on August 8. 

ASEAN Day has become a day of important significance to nearly 600 million people in the ASEAN family community to enhance their close-knit attachment and prosperous development, PM Dung said. 

“On this occasion, we are pleased to witness the great achievements that ASEAN has made over the past 44 years and is heading to the ASEAN Community by 2015, with its stronger international role and position,” said the PM. 

ASEAN cooperation has improved intensively and practically within the legal framework of the ASEAN Charter and the Roadmap to build the ASEAN Community with three pillars: the Politics-Security Community, Economic Community and Socio-Cultural Community, he added. 

In the coming time, the leader said, ASEAN should enhance solidarity and make greater efforts to accomplish effectively and on schedule all targets set in its plan aimed at building the ASEAN Community from now to 2015. 

The bloc should continue to promote its proactive role in ensuring an environment of peace, security, stability and cooperation in the region, especially in enhancing the efficiency of regional cooperation mechanisms and tools such as the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ), the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

The bloc should also promote dialogue, confidence building and peaceful settlement of disputes and observe international law, the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the UN Charter and the ASEAN Charter. 

PM Dung noted that ASEAN needs to continue expanding and deepening relations with its partners in parallel with consolidating and strengthening its central role in regional cooperation and shaping regional architecture in order to boost cooperation for the common goal of peace, stability and development as well as effectively dealing with emerging challenges. 

ASEAN cooperation has secured a place in the Vietnamese Party and State’s foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, diversification and multilateralisation of relations, and proactive regional and international integration, he stated. 

The government leader recalled the statement at the 11th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam that Vietnam would strengthen friendly and cooperative relations with its neighbouring countries and actively, proactively and responsibly join efforts with nations to build a powerful ASEAN Community. 

PM Dung went on to say that, in the spirit of pro-activeness, activeness, and responsibility, and upholding the great achievements reaped in 2010 when assuming the ASEAN Chair, Vietnam has been trying its best to make positive contributions to building a closely-connected, united and strong ASEAN with its stronger role and position in the region and the world and striving for the common goal of peace, stability, cooperation and prosperous development. 

On the occasion of the 44th founding anniversary of ASEAN, PM Dung extended the best congratulations to the Governments and people of other members of the ASEAN family as well as the bloc’s partners and friends. The leader also took this chance to wish ASEAN become more united, powerful and prosperous.