ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT BY MR. LE DZUNG, THE SPOKESMAN
OF THE VIETNAMESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON 24th JUNE 2004
Reuters: Can you please provide a comment on the upcoming ASEAN+3 and ASEAN Regional Forum? Would the rift between the EU and the Asian countries over including
Myanmar at the ASEM meeting in October among the topics? Would there be any points raised about security issues in the region?
Answer:
As scheduled, the talks between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and 3 Foreign Ministers from Japan, China and South Korea (ASEAN plus 3) will focus on discussion of regional and international issues of mutual concern, review of the ASEAN+3 cooperation and future development direction of ASEAN+3, and progress made in the implementation of the Intergration ASEAN Initiative (IAI).
The 11th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF-11) will focus discussion on international and regional issues, reviewing midterm’s activities of ARF and ARF’s future directions as well as other issues.
During AMM 37 and other related meetings,
Vietnam will exchange views and seek for agreement with other ASEM members within ASEAN and Asia on the preparation of the ASEM 5 contents, especially its agenda and fundamental contents of the Meeting’s documents.
As the host country of the ASEM 5, Vietnam will discuss with other ASEM members within ASEAN and Asia to reach a satisfactory, timely and flexible solution for the enlargement of ASEM and meet the aspiration of the 3 remaining ASEAN members, i.e. Laos, Cambodia and Myanmar and 10 new EU members to attend the ASEM 5 in Hanoi.
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