Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Khiem made the affirmation while answering domestic press’ questions on the freshly-ended summit in Hanoi.

The 16th ASEAN Summit was a success and achieved important results, Mr Khiem said.

Firstly, the bloc showed strong determination to effectively implement the roadmap for the ASEAN Community and bring the ASEAN Charter into reality. Secondly, the bloc proposed practical activities to boost cooperation in facing emerging challenges. Thirdly, the bloc was determined to maintain and enhance ASEAN’s central role in the region. Fourthly, ASEAN leaders reached consensus on the bloc’s priority orientations under the theme “Towards the ASEAN Community: from Vision to Action”, as Vietnam proposed for the summit.

Deputy PM Khiem said that Vietnam has actively consulted, exchanged and reached agreement with other ASEAN member countries on the priority focus as well as the action programme for ASEAN cooperation in 2010.

The contents of the agenda and Vietnam’s documents presented at this summit were built in conformity with the bloc’s top priorities, said the deputy PM, adding that Vietnam’s proposals have contributed to promoting the building of enforceable culture inside the bloc with concrete and practical measures.

The summit’s approval of ASEAN leaders’ statements has reflected ASEAN’s strong support for Vietnam’s initiatives, contributing to accelerating joint cooperation in facing challenges.

According to Vietnam’s proposals, ASEAN agreed to organise the first plenary session between ASEAN leaders and ministers and senior officials who are in charge of the ASEAN Community’s pillars, to speed up the ASEAN community roadmap.

Vietnam also successfully hosted the first official meeting between ASEAN leaders and representatives of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA).