Socialist Republic of Vietnam

(Hanoi, 24 July 2001)


Your Royal Highnesses,
Distinguished Colleagues,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

Over the past two days, in an atmosphere of mutual confidence and understanding and with a strong sense of responsibility, we have held candid discussions and deliberations on a wide range of issues of political and security, socio-economic and transnational issues. Many ideas have been raised. Yet our single purpose is to sustain ASEAN's relevance, vitality and dynamism in today's and tomorrow's world.

Under the central theme of the 34th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, that is "ASEAN: stable, united, integrated and outward looking", we have worked very hard to identify all possible ways and means for further advancing ASEAN integration and cohesiveness. The discussions we have had, focussed on our concerted efforts aimed at strengthening unity and enhancing cooperation within ASEAN, deepening the partnership with ASEAN's dialogue countries and at further promoting ASEAN's relations with other regions and institutions.

The outcome of our Meeting is well reflected in the Joint Communique and other documents that will be circulated to the press. At this closing moment of our Meeting, I just want to lay emphasis on some areas.

Over the past year, ASEAN has seen both continued recovery in the region and complex developments in Southeast Asia and in the world as well. However, peace, stability and cooperation continues to be the most ardent aspirations of our nations. The prevailing trend towards these in the region is still there and should be reinforced. ASEAN will have to spare no efforts to bring into full play our internal strength while at the same time remaining outward-looking to the rest of the world so as to stay in the mainstream of the regional and international life. The 34th AMM in Ha Noi this time has further proven that, ASEAN has sufficient confidence, wisdom and capability to overcome the temporary difficulties so as to realise the ASEAN Vision 2020 and the Hanoi Plan of Action to implement this Vision. The success of the implementation will make a significant and positive contribution to peace, stability and prosperity in the Asia-Pacific and the whole world.

We spent a good part of our time in identifying steps and measures to further improve and substantiate the existing cooperative mechanisms within ASEAN and between ASEAN and its dialogue partners and institutions. We looked into the existing gaps and missing links of cooperation within and beyond our region, which could and should be filled up with not just ideas but substance as well in the future with the scope and at pace that are mutually acceptable and comfortable to all ASEAN Member Countries. We fully realised the need to further enhance our cooperation and coordination at international fora where ASEAN can and should play a leading role and speak with a weighty and concerted voice. We were also unanimous on the need to further improving and rationalizing the Association's work style so as to increase the efficiency of ASEAN activities.

The income disparities and the development gap between and among Member Countries have affected the efficiency of cooperation among the ASEAN Member Countries as well as the development of the whole region. Therefore, in order to actively implement the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) put forth at the 4th Informal ASEAN Summit in Singapore last November, we adopted the "Hanoi Declaration on Narrowing the Development Gap for Closer ASEAN Integration.". By acitvely implementing this Declaration, ASEAN can enhance the efficiency of cooperation and mutual assistance through promoting economic integration, trade, investment, human resource development, infrastructure, information and communication technology, education and training, culture, science and technology, tourism, etc. No doubt, this commitment by ASEAN will practically assist Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Viet Nam, in successfully implementing programmes of poverty alleviation, step by step narrowing the development gap with the rest of the Association and that between ASEAN countries and other regions in the world for the sake of dynamic and sustained development and the prosperity for all South East Asian nations.

Also in this connection, this ASEAN Ministerial Meeting has carried out extensive and intensive deliberations on measures to be taken to speed up the implementation of existing schemes of cooperation including the development of growth areas, sub-regional cooperation programmes, especially the Mekong Basin Development Programmes and West-East Corridor Development; and on preparations for the Mid-term Review on the implementation of the Hanoi Plan of Action.

An important factor to ASEAN's growth is its cooperation with the Dialogue Partners in general and with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea in particular within the ASEAN+3 framework. We note with satisfaction the good results of the past ASEAN+3 Summits and Ministerial Meetings, the AEMM in Vientiane, and the First Ministerial Meeting of the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation, which helped further deepen the mutual understanding and open up new prospects for the cooperation between ASEAN and the Dialogue Partners and other regions. In the coming days, we will have the opportunity to work closely with our Dialogue Partners at the PMC to find all possible ways to further intensifying our partnerships with them. I am sure we all look forward to the full benefit of this good occasion.

The 34th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting has added synergy to ASEAN on its march into the new millennium with confidence. While rejoicing in the fine development of the Association, we must realize a long way ahead full of difficulties and challenges. The vitality of ASEAN over the past three decades is clearly demonstrated by the Association's unity and cooperation on the basis of respect for national independence and sovereignty, equality, mutual benefit as well as other ASEAN's fundamental principles of consensus and non-interference in each other's internal affairs. Upholding these values and principles, we will surely surmount obstacles, continue to move forward to an ASEAN of stability, unity, integration and outward looking, having an increasingly important voice and position in the region and the world at large.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Since the Sixth ASEAN Summit, this is the second time the Capital City of Ha Noi - one of the world's five capital cities recognized by UNESCO as a "city of peace and culture" - has had the honor of hosting distinguished guests for ASEAN important events.

Over the past year, in the capacity as the Chairman of the ASC and ARF, Viet Nam has received valuable support and assistance from the other ASEAN Member Countries, my fellow Ministers, the Secretary-General and Secretariat of ASEAN. On behalf of the Government and people of Viet Nam, I would like to take this opportunity to express our deep gratitude to the ASEAN Governments and my colleagues for their effective cooperation and good sentiments accorded to Vietnam and myself that enabled us to successfully fulfill our important tasks.

Finally, in the tradition of ASEAN, I now have the honor to turn over the Chairmanship of the 35th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting to His Royal Highness Prince Mohammad Bolkiah, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam.

Your Royal Highness, I would like to close this Meeting by offering you and other colleagues the assurances of Vietnam's full, constructive, and effective cooperation in the future.

Thank you for your kind attention.