Mr Dung thanked the Secretary General and the ASEAN Secretariat for their practical contributions to Vietnam’s preparations for the 16th ASEAN Summit. 

Building a strong ASEAN community is a common responsibility of all the bloc’s members, said the Vietnamese Government leader. 

He laid stress on the significance of three documents at the summit: the declaration on economic recovery and sustainable development, the declaration on climate change and the declaration of the summit’s president. 

He asked Pitsuwan and the Secretariat to mobilise member countries to approve these documents. 

PM Dung welcomed Secretary General Pitsuwan’s proposals, confirming that ASEAN is an economic and political entity which is sustainably developing on the basis of the ASEAN Charter. All cooperation mechanisms must ensure the group’s key, central role. 

Mr Pitsuwan lauded Vietnam’s organisation of related events for the 16th ASEAN Summit. He also emphasised Vietnam’s important role as this year’s bloc president. 

The dynamic economies of Vietnam and other ASEAN countries provide a foundation for cooperative relations and connections with other countries and the international community, he added. 

He expressed his belief that in its capacity as ASEAN’s President, Vietnam will bring into play its advantages, successfully organise the upcoming Summit and continue strengthening the ASEAN community in the interests of its member countries and of fulfilling the set targets.