Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Gia Khiêm led a Vietnamese delegation to attend the 18th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF 18), which opened on July 23 in Bali, Indonesia.
Foreign Ministers from 10 ASEAN member countries and 10 partners are attending the forum including representatives from China, the Republic of Korea (RoK), Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the US, Canada, the European Union, India and Russia, as well as delegates from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Mongolia, Timor Leste, Papua New Guinea and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK).
The forum, chaired by Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, aims to prepare for the East Asia Summit and other related meetings scheduled to take place in Indonesia in November 2011.
The ARF 18 is happening when ASEAN member countries are making efforts to build the ASEAN Community for 2015 based on the three pillars - on security community, economic community, and socio-cultural community - with a view to raising the region’s position on the international arena and expanding external relations. ASEAN member nations are currently facing numerous challenges that require stronger regional and international cooperation.
This forum is expected to provide an opportunity for ASEAN and participating countries to share their views on politics and security and work out measures to overcome challenges to ensuring peace, security, stability and sustainable development in the region and the world.
Participants at the event will focus their discussions on issues related to global development, as well as the ARF’s future orientations and role in strengthening the regional bloc and creating closer links between governments and regional organisations.
They also touched upon other matters such as maritime security, nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and preventing terrorism and trans-national crime.
