Socialist Republic of Vietnam

Bandar Seri Begawan, July 31 (VNA) -- Viet Nam's Foreign Minister Nguyen Dy Nien has called on the three ASEAN dialogue partners in Northeast Asia to take an active part in the Development Cooperation Forum on the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) slated for in Jakarta on August 15-16.
"China, Japan and the Republic of Korea (RoK) should further help ASEAN countries, especially new members, in developing information technology, human resource and infrastructure facilities in order to facilitate their effective regional integration," FM. Nguyen Dy Nien said.

Addressing the third ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers' Meeting at the International Convention Centre in the capital of Brunei on July 30, FM Nguyen Dy Nien praised the cooperation with and assistance to Viet Nam and other new ASEAN member countries from these Northeast Asian nations.

"The development gap within ASEAN and between the group and Northeast Asian countries has posed a great challenge to expanding and raising the efficiency of ASEAN+3 cooperation," he told the meeting.

During the ASEAN+3 meeting, the FMs agreed to expand cooperation, with a focus on the areas where they are strong, and promote ASEAN's preferential programmes to help its new members narrow the development gap among ASEAN countries and between them and Northeast Asian nations.

The ASEAN+3 ministers also exchanged views on measures to accelerate joint efforts to help ASEAN carry out the Intitiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) as well as preparations for the ASEAN+3 summit meeting to be held in Cambodia in November this year.--Enditem