Senior officials of the ASEAN member states at the Prep-SOM on November 1 (Photo: VNA)Bangkok (VNA) – Senior officials of the ASEAN member states expressedunanimity for Vietnam’s initiatives to promote political-security cooperationwithin the ASEAN bloc in 2020 at the ASEAN Senior Officials’ PreparatoryMeeting (Prep-SOM) in Bangkok on November 1.
The initiatives include conducting a mid-term review of the ASEANPolitical-Security Community Blueprint 2025, consolidating the ASEAN RegionalForum, and enhancing the role of the ASEAN Maritime Forum in coordinating seacooperative activities in the region.
The Prep-SOM, chaired by Permanent Secretary of the Thai Foreign MinistryBusaya Mathelin, aimed to review preparation for the 35th ASEAN Summitand related summits, comprising working programmes, agenda and more than 40documents expected to be submitted to high-ranking leaders for approval.
On theoccasion, Thailand looked back at the implementation of priorities and majorinitiatives during 2019, the year it holds the ASEAN Chair, such as aninitiative to develop ASEAN human resources, and build Complementaritiesbetween the ASEAN Community Vision 2025 and the United Nations 2030 Agenda forSustainable Development.
Participants at the meeting discussed in particular issues related to thecooperation between ASEAN and its dialogue partners, such as preparation forthe ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit in November 2019, thepossibility of organizing an annual ASEAN-Australia Summit since 2020, and promotingthe implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Seaand negotiations for the Code of Conduct in the waters between ASEAN and China.
In the afternoon of the same day, the Preparatory Regional ComprehensiveEconomic Partnership (RCEP) Ministerial Meeting deliberated on the finalizationof negotiations of the RCEP. This proposed free trade agreement comprisesthe ten ASEAN Member States and its six free trade agreement partners outsidethe region: China, Japan, India, Republic of Korea, Australia, and New Zealand.
The 35th ASEAN Summit and related Summits are taking place in Bangkok and Nonthaburi fromNovember 2-4./.
VNA
