Vietnam contributes important ideas to AMM Retreat and ACC-32

This comes as Minister Son led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat (AMM Retreat) and the 32nd ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting (ACC-32) from February 3 to February 4 in Jakarta, Indonesia.

At the end of the meetings, Ambassador Vu Ho, acting head of SOM ASEAN Vietnam, granted an interview to VOV to discuss the results of the conferences, as well as the contributions made by the Vietnamese delegation.

Regarding the outcomes of these conferences, the meetings took place amid many problems for ASEAN to solve, ranging from strategic competition among major countries, instability, and the risk of economic recession, as well as both non-traditional issues and complex developments at multiple hotspots.

Therefore, the most important challenge is on how to maintain solidarity, centrality, and enhance the bloc’s ability to respond to the synergistic impact of many internal and external challenges.

Countries participating in the event actively discussed, agreed on the priorities of ASEAN this year, whilst making efforts to find solutions to the issues facing the bloc, with these meetings achieving plenty of major results.

Firstly, this year will see ASEAN focus on co-operation to ensure energy security, food security, health resilience, and financial-economic stability.

These issues are not only relevant to the general concerns and interests of other countries, but are also expected to contribute to promoting strong and sustainable growth within the region, therefore maintaining the bloc’s position as a global growth engine. This is along with enhancing ASEAN's resilience in the volatile international and regional environment.

In order to successfully implement the set priorities, all countries believe that more than ever ASEAN needs a peaceful, stable, and favourable environment for recovery and development.

The bloc needs to uphold independence and self-reliance, maintain solidarity, promote its central role, promote dialogue and co-operation, whilst acting responsibly in accordance with international law, as well as encouraging partners to contribute to jointly addressing common challenges.

Secondly, member states especially stressed the urgent need to improve ASEAN's institutional capacity to gradually prepare for the next stage of the group's development.

Accordingly, in the immediate future measures will be studied as a means of strengthening the functions and roles of a number of agencies in the bloc, improve the overall effectiveness of the decision-making mechanism, and promote solutions aimed at mobilising resources.

Thirdly, on the basis of the decisions made by ASEAN leaders at the recent 40th and 41st ASEAN Summits, ministers discussed in detail the plan to implement the five-point consensus on Myanmar.

They affirmed their readiness continue to support Myanmar in finding a peaceful and sustainable solution for the benefit of their people, while stressing the need to swiftly bring an end to the violence and promote dialogue between the parties concerned.

The meeting completed the Observer Status Manual for Timor Leste and agreed to develop a roadmap for its future admission.

The attendance of the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Timor Leste for the first time as an observer, both at the ASEAN Coordinating Council Meeting and the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat, represents an important milestone in the process of preparing and supporting their bid to become a full member.

Finally, in the spirit of openness and frankness, all countries were able to share their views on many issues of concern in the region and the wider world, from hot spots with potentially complicated consequences such as the East Sea, Myanmar, and the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, to current emerging challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, epidemics, and the environment.

In general, all countries agree that the bloc needs to maintain solidarity, strengthen its principled stance, and be prepared to promptly and effectively respond to unpredictable changes that may occur at any time.

Regarding the participation and contribution of the Vietnamese delegation, Ambassador Vu Ho said the ideas put forward have helped to shape ASEAN's consensus on many important decisions. This includes measures to improve the group's institution effectiveness, carry out the five-point consensus on the Myanmar issue, and support Timor Leste.

Ambassador Ho said that the Vietnamese delegation not only discussed with other delegates ways in which to identify ASEAN's focuses and priorities, but also actively proposed many practical initiatives that are in line with the common concerns of other countries and the region as a whole.

Minister Son announced the nation’s plans to organise activities aimed at promoting inclusive recovery in ASEAN, respond to climate change, energy transition, as well as a number of co-operation activities with partners such as the Republic of Korea Day in ASEAN. This is along with ASEAN-China meetings on the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

At the event, the Vietnamese official emphasized the meaning of a community that truly serves the people and benefits all members. Accordingly, he suggested that ASEAN pay closer attention to co-operation and equitable and inclusive development in sub-regions, therefore contributing to ensuring that people enjoy equitably the fruits of the community building process.

Minister Son also put forward the nation’s view and stance on many issues that directly affect the bloc, as well as peace and security in the region.

According to the diplomat, Vietnamese opinions on the East Sea and Myanmar are both balanced and constructive, contributing to promoting the values of dialogue and linkages, upholding international law, while promoting the spirit of solidarity and mutual assistance, as well as consolidating ASEAN's principle stance.

He added that this ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat outlined important orientations for the group’s activities in 2023.

At the meetings, Vietnamese Minister Son underlined the need for ASEAN to maintain a balanced and harmonious approach to its partners, promote the effectiveness and value of ASEAN-led mechanisms, and improve the building of mutual trust and understanding for co-operation in response to emerging issues.

Initiatives in the region should therefore come from the goodwill of co-operation, complementarity and reciprocity to ASEAN-led mechanisms, thereby contributing to the common goal of peace, security, stability, and development, he went on to say.

Sharing common concerns relating to unpredictable regional and international fluctuations, the Vietnamese Minister stressed that ASEAN needs to maintain solidarity, self-reliance, and flexible adaptation, as well as move to strengthen internal resources and promote its centrality.

He reaffirmed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security, and safety of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, emphasising the necessity for the group to strengthen its principle stance. This should be done whilst upholding international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) towards a rules-based regional maritime order and effectively protecting the legitimate interests of all coastal states.

As part of this occasion, Minister Son announced Vietnamese plans to hold several meetings within the ASEAN-China framework regarding the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), as well as the Republic of Korea Day in ASEAN.
In terms of the Myanmar issue, he shared the view that Myanmar’s people should solve the issue, with it being essential for the bloc to effectively implement the five-point consensus to help overcome the difficulties.

He also expressed his belief that Indonesia, as the ASEAN Chair in 2023, and Redno Marsudi, as the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar, will be successful in leading the implementation of this consensus.