Vietnamese Prime Minister meets with Indonesian President

On the afternoon of April 24, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung led a Vietnamese delegation to the capital Bandar Seri Begawan of Brunei, beginning his trip to attend the 22nd Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit with the theme "Our People, Our Future."

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung meets with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. (Photo: Duc Tam/VNA)

Upon arriving in the capital Bandar Seri Begawan, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung had a bilateral meeting with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

At the meeting, the two leaders appreciated the strong development of bilateral relations in recent times; bilateral trade turnover in 2012 reached more than 4.6 billion USD and is aiming to reach 5 billion USD or higher before 2015.

The two sides affirmed that they will closely coordinate to implement the results of recent high-level visits as well as review and promote ministries and branches to properly and effectively implement the cooperation contents agreed upon in the "Vietnam-Indonesia Action Program for the 2012-2015 period."

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and Indonesian President Yudhoyono highly appreciated the effectiveness of cooperation mechanisms between the two countries in general, including the Bilateral Cooperation Committee at the Foreign Minister level and the Joint Committee on Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.

To elevate bilateral relations to a new level, the two leaders agreed to assign ministries and sectors of the two countries to actively discuss and soon complete the content of the strategic partnership so that they can officially announce the upgrading of bilateral relations to a strategic partnership during President Truong Tan Sang's visit to Indonesia scheduled for 2013.

Discussing regional and international issues, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung highly appreciated Indonesia's role and position as an active member of ASEAN, Indonesia's efforts in promoting the issuance of the Six-Point Statement on the East Sea issue; hoped that Indonesia would continue to promote its role, together with Vietnam and other ASEAN countries, to support the ASEAN Chair in promoting the association's goals, including building the community and promoting ASEAN's central role in the region, contributing to peace, security and development in the region, including peace and stability in the East Sea.

The two leaders agreed that 2013 is a key year to accelerate the cooperation process and strive to achieve the goal of successfully building the ASEAN Community by 2015. Therefore, ASEAN member countries need to step up efforts to ensure effective and timely implementation of measures in the roadmap to build the community.

The two leaders discussed developments in the East Sea and affirmed that peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the East Sea are the common concerns and interests of ASEAN and related countries. Therefore, ASEAN needs to promote its solidarity and common voice for these goals, uphold the agreed basic principles, especially compliance with international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea; refrain from further complicating the situation, resolve disputes by peaceful means, fully and effectively implement the ASEAN Declaration of the Six Principles, the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), the commitments of the ASEAN and Chinese senior leaders stated in the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on the 10th Anniversary of the DOC and soon complete the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

President Yudhoyono expressed his appreciation for Vietnam's positive contributions and sense of responsibility, affirming to continue to strengthen close coordination between the two countries in consolidating solidarity, building the community and promoting the central role of ASEAN.

According to the ASEAN Summit's agenda, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung will work with ASEAN leaders on the evening of April 24 and hold a closed session on April 25.

At this ASEAN Summit, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and ASEAN leaders are expected to discuss ASEAN's priorities in 2013, direct measures to promote the building of the ASEAN Community and the association's future orientation, as well as expand foreign relations and promote ASEAN's central role in the evolving regional structure.

At the same time, ASEAN leaders will also discuss regional and international issues of mutual concern, especially ensuring a peaceful, secure and cooperative environment for development in the region and on the East Sea issue, as well as cooperation in responding to challenges such as climate change, natural disasters, epidemics and other non-traditional security challenges./.

According to (TTXVN) - LT