APEC delegates pose for picture at a meeting (Photo: VNA)Khanh Hoa (VNA) - On the sidelines of the first APEC Senior Officials Meeting (SOM1)and related meetings in Nha Trang city, south central Khanh Hoa province, some delegatesshowed their optimism about the prospects for connectivity and cooperationamong the APEC member economies.
Having evaluatedthe outcomes of the meetings of APEC committees and working groups before SOM1,Ambassador-at-Large Valery E. Sorokin, Senior Official of Russia for APEC, said“the discussions were producing desirable results.”
Delegatesattending SOM1 on March 2-3 will be hearing reports on the outcomes of the workinggroups. Earlier, at the APEC Informal Senior Officials Meeting (ISOM) in Hanoilast December, the Russian delegation was informed about the theme andpriorities for the APEC Year 2017 proposed by the host country.
“Russiaabsolutely supports the theme and priorities because these are in line with theAPEC major agenda as well as trade and economic development in general,”Sorokin said.
Sharing the viewwith the Russian ambassador, Alcinda L Trawen, an official from Papua New Guinea, said the meetings of the APECcommittees and working groups were successful, producing encouraging results.
The theme andpriorities proposed by Vietnam for the APEC Year 2017 are conformable with theAPEC member economies as well as the current economic situation in the regionand the world, she noted.
Regarding theprospects for cooperation among the APEC members, Ambassador Sorokin said:“Russia is optimistic about the APEC cooperation as this mechanism has so farproven to be effective in all aspects well ahead of internationalorganisations.”
According to thediplomat, APEC is not an international organisation and is not binding and theforum’s decisions are alternative rather than binding. But these decisions arebinding the APEC members after they reached and approved.
Russia wants topromote the common work to complete the 2020 Bogor Goals, Sorokin said, addingthat Russia appreciated Vietnam’s efforts in calling upon the APEC members topromise practical steps to accomplish the Bogor Goals.
Meanwhile, Alcinda L Trawen said most APEC economies have the same economic aspiration for developmen, adding that Papua New Guinea’s aspiration is to continue collaborating with other APEC members.
Having laudedVietnam’s contributions to the success of the meetings prior to SOM1,Ambassador Sorokin said Vietnam has well prepared for SOM1 and related meetings.With 21 delegations from the APEC member economies and a lot of meetings andworkshops, Vietnam has still ensured logistics services despite limited budget.
As arepresentative from the host country of the APEC Year 2018, Trawen was impressed by Vietnam’s preparations for SOM1 andrelated meetings, including the transport and food. “This is my first time inVietnam and it is very good,” she said.-VNA
VNA
