They agreed to push forth cooperative programs to assist ASEM member states to fulfill the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) in 2015 including poverty reduction, green growth and sustainable development.

They appreciated the positive building of an ASEAN Community by 2015, highlighting the central role of the bloc in regional cooperation framework and maintenance of regional peace, security and stability.

The European Union was hailed for its accession to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC).

ASEM leaders frankly discussed regional and global issues of common concern, highlighting the need of ensuring peace, security, stability, negotiations and cooperation for economic recovery and response to the global challenges. 

Addressing the event, Vietnamese PM Nguyen Tan Dung proposed new approaches and settlements to the global issues on the basis of a long-term, comprehensive and interdisciplinary vision in combination with the MDGs, environmental protection, poverty reduction and gender equality.

The Vietnamese Government chief suggested measures to accelerate specific programs and initiatives to timely and effectively deal with the global issues, especially climate change warnings, early warning of natural disasters, water resource protection, food security as well as maritime aid relief.

He recommended that ASEM make contribution to the formulation of coordinating mechanisms which are capable of addressing common issues and reform of international financial institutions and improvement of regional trans-regional cooperative mechanisms.

PM Dung proposed ASEM host a summit on natural disaster prevention and relief in response to climate change and a seminar on water management and river valley – Green growth approach within the ASEM Sustainable Development Dialogue. The two initiatives were highly welcomed.

PM Dung also underlined that all countries and regions pay attention to the keeping of peace, security and stability. Any dispute should be addressed through peaceful negotiations in line with international laws including the six-point principles of ASEAN in the East Sea.

ASEM 9 was wrapped up today with the issuance of two significant documents including the Vientiane Declaration on Strengthening Partnership for Peace and Development and the ASEM 9 Chair’s Statement.

On the sidelines of ASEM 9, PM Nguyen Tan Dung met with Japanese PM Noda Yosihiko, Australian PM Julia Gillard, Finnish PM Jyrki Katainen and President of European Commission Jose Barroso.

During the separate meetings, PM Dung and his counterparts talked about specific ways to strengthen cooperation especially in the area of economics, trade and investment and the celebrations of 40th anniversaries of diplomatic establishment with Japan, Australia and Finland in 2013./.