ANSWER TO CORRESPONDENT BY MR. LE DZUNG, THE SPOKESMAN

OF THE VIETNAMESE MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS ON 24^th JUNE 2004

REUTERS: Please comment on Indonesia’s proposal for an ASEAN Security Community specifically on the plan for a regional peace-keeping force? Is this force something Vietnam will support and why and why not? The draft plan also reportedly contains references to promotion of democracy, human rights and free information flows? Is this agreeable to Vietnam?

Answer:

ASEAN Security Community (ASC) is one of the three main pillars aimed at establishing an ASEAN Community in 2020 as decided by ASEAN heads of states at the ninth ASEAN Summit Meeting in Bali, Indonesia, in November 2003. The ASC plays an extremely important role in the current stage as ASEAN is now facing many opportunities and at the same time confronting lots of new challenges such as international terrorism, transnational crimes, and epidemic outbreaks during its process of development and cooperation for peace, stability, wealth and prosperity of the entire region.

ASEAN member countries are now discussing an ASC Plan of Action (ASCPA) to submit to the 37^th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting for appraisal prior to adoption at the tenth ASEAN Summit in Vientiane. ASEAN has basically agreed to the contents of the ASCPA that contain specific measures for cooperation including those to promote exchanges and mutual understanding among strata of people, sectors and political, social and military organizations of ASEAN countries. This Plan of Action also upholds ASEAN principles such as consensus, non-interference in internal affairs, respect for national sovereignty, renunciation of the threat or the use of force in solving disputes or establishing any military bloc or military alliance, or permitting the use of one member’s territory to carry out activities against any other member.