Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongloun Sisoulith attend a series of regional meetings
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongloun Sisoulith and his delegation this week continued their visit to Malaysia where they are attending a series of regional meetings.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongloun Sisoulith led the Lao delegation attending the 16th Asean Ministerial Meetings with three dialogue partners in Asia (AMM+3), the 5th Foreign Ministers’ Meeting of East Asia Summit (EAS), and the 22nd Asean Regional Forum.
The AMM+3 highlighted the outstanding achievements that have been made since the meeting was established in 1997, especially the cooperation in finance and food security.
The meeting praised the Chiang Mai Initiative Multileralisation, Asean+3Macroeconomic Research Office, Asian Bond Market Initiative, and Credit Guarantee and Investment Initiative, which have been strengthened to secure financial stability in the region.
The ministers agreed that food supplies in Asean have been secured through the implementation of the Asean Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve.
The Foreign Ministers Meeting of EAS discussed the draft communiqué on the 10th anniversary of the EAS, which will be submitted for adoption by leaders later this year.
The ministers reaffirmed the need for EAS to maintain and strengthen its special characteristics of being the platform of exchange among leaders, and cooperate under the principles they have agreed to.
The 22nd ARF adopted 33 activities and four work plans to be implemented in 2015/16, and a joint statement. The plans include the counter-terrorism and anti-transnational crime plan, maritime security maritime plan 2015-2017, disaster relief plan 2015-2017, and the plan on security and the use of information and communication technology.
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongloun Sisoulith also led the delegation in attending the Asean Ministerial Meetings with other dialogue partners on Wednesday.
The AMM and New Zealand agreed on the value of the cooperation between Asean and New Zealand over the past 40 years, especially in priority sectors such as scholarship awards, exchanges between business operators, disaster risk management, and agriculture.
The ministers agreed to upgrade cooperation between Asean and New Zealand from a comprehensive partnership to a strategic level.
The AMM and Russia viewed Asean-Russia cooperation as an important factor in the protection and promotion of peace, stability, and security in the region. Russia confirmed its continuing support for the building of the Asean Community and Asean centrality in the regional structure.
Asean and Chinese foreign ministers said they were pleased with the success of the cooperation between Asean and China, especially in trade and investment, and the progress made in establishing the Asean Infrastructure Investment Bank. The Chinese side confirmed their support for the construction of the Laos-China railway.
The AMM and Japan expressed appreciation of the implementation of the declarations on the Asean-Japan strategic partnership and Asean-Japan friendship and cooperation. Japan confirmed its continuing support for the building of Asean connectivity and narrowing of the development gap within the region.
Foreign ministers from Asean and the Republic of Korea adopted the new Asean-Korea Action Plan 2016-2020. They confirmed their commitment to target a trade value of US$200 billion between Asean and Korea by 2020. The meeting agreed to strengthen cooperation in small and medium sized enterprise development.
Foreign ministers from Asean and India adopted the new Asean-India Action Plan 2016-2020, aiming at strengthening future cooperation.
The AMM and Australia expressed appreciation for Asean-Australia cooperation which has been upgraded to a strategic level. The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation in education through the implementation of the New Colombo Plan.
Foreign ministers from Asean and the United States adopted the new Asean-US Action Plan for 2016-20.
Asean ministers praised the United States’ active contribution to all of the cooperation mechanisms initiated by Asean and for supporting Asean centrality.
Outstanding achievements in cooperation between Asean and Canada were related to trade and investment, counter-terrorism and transnational crime, as well as Canadian technical assistance for capacity building among Asean members and the Asean Secretariat.
Foreign ministers from Asean and the European Union agreed to strengthen cooperation between the two regions in building connectivity, trade and investment, maritime matters, climate change, and counter-terrorism and transnational crime prevention activities.
Source: Lao National Television News in English (LNTV)
Broadcast on August 7, 2015
