•  PM Dung calls for greater efforts to enhance ASEAN connectivity

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and leaders of ten ASEAN member countries attended the ASEAN-UN Summit.

The ASEAN leaders said they hoped to continue receiving positive support from the UN and its agencies for building the ASEAN Community, enhancing regional connectivity, developing sub-regions, and increasing the capacity to cope with climate change and recover from natural disasters.

In his speech, PM Dung shared his views with ASEAN leaders and the UN Chief about the strong development of relations and cooperation with the UN and within the bloc in various fields, especially implementing the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), managing disaster recovery and humanitarian aid relief.

PM Dung asked the UN to create favourable conditions for ASEAN to participate and contribute to UN programs promoting peace, security and global development.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon praised ASEAN’s efforts in implementing the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and maintaining its crucial role in the region, as well as the bloc’s significant contributions to peace, cooperation and development in the region.

The summit also approved a joint statement on the ASEAN-UN comprehensive partnership.

At the ASEAN-India Summit, ASEAN leaders and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh spoke highly about the developments in dialogues and cooperation between ASEAN and India. They said both sides still have even greater potential for cooperation in the fields of trade, investment, science, technology, non-traditional security, natural disaster control, response to climate change, maritime security and the prevention and control of trans-national crime.

PM Dung asked both sides to promote trade and investment; finalize plans for a free trade area next year; and step up bilateral cooperation in transport, information technology, energy security and cross cultural exchanges.

He praised India’s initiative for setting up an ASEAN-India network to cope with climate change and the ASEAN-India Green Fund to finance cooperative projects in this field.

The leaders also agreed to organize activities to celebrate the 20th anniversary of ASEAN-India dialogues next year, including the anniversary summit slated for New Delhi in India.

In the afternoon of the same day, PM Dung and ASEAN leaders attended the 6^th East Asia Summit (EAS) including leaders from Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the US. The summit discussed measures to promote EAS cooperation in five priority areas, as well as issues of regional issues such as non-traditional security, maritime safety and cross-border security.

PM Dung thanked Russia and the US for attending the EAS for the first time, saying that ASEAN has played a crucial role within the EAS's dynamic development to become an indispensable part of East Asia’s cooperation and structure.

He also urged the concerned parties to target priority areas and implement the master plan for ASEAN connectivity and enhance regional economic connections by encouraging the involvement of businesses.

Mr Dung supported East Asian leaders in discussing policies for managing natural disasters, building specific frameworks and plans and mechanisms for regional cooperation, as well as the ASEAN Coordination Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (the AHA Centre).

Mr Dung and other leaders highlighted EAS contributions to promoting a peaceful, stable and cooperative environment in the region, promoting security and maritime safety, respecting the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and working towards a Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC).

The EAS Declaration on Principles for Mutually Beneficial Relations was approved as well as the Declaration on ASEAN Connectivity.

PM Dung and his entourage left Bali for Hanoi later the same day after the 19^th ASEAN Summit closing ceremony.