Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung and his Thai counterpart Yingluck
Shinawatra have agreed to prepare a roadmap for the establishment of the
Vietnam-Thailand Strategic Partnership during their meeting on the
sidelines of regional summits in Vientiane , Laos .
At their
meeting on March 12, the two PMs agreed to instruct the two Foreign
Ministries to work closely with relevant agencies and departments to
devise the roadmap and hold a meeting of the Bilateral Joint Committee
within this year.
They noted with joy the
development of the friendship and multi-dimensional cooperation between
the two countries, especially since the second Vietnam-Thailand Joint
Cabinet Retreat in last October.
PM Dung expressed his pleasure
at the two countries’ efforts to step up economic cooperation, affirming
that the Vietnamese Government always creates favourable conditions for
Thai businesses to invest in Vietnam .
He extended
his hope that Thai Government will continue encouraging its businesses
to invest in Vietnam , especially in the central region, in order to
fully tap potentials held by the East-West Economic Corridor.
The two PMs reached consensus on protecting the environment and water resources of the Mekong River .
They voiced their support for ASEAN’s stance stated in the Declaration
on Six-Point Principles on the East Sea, relating to the maintenance of
peace, stability, and safe and free navigation in the East Sea, the
peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of international law,
including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea
(UNCLOS 1982) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties on the East
Sea (DOC), towards building a Code of Conduct on the East Sea (COC).
In 2013, Thailand set to host the 3 rd Thai-Vietnamese Joint
Cabinet Retreat and the 3 rd Asia-Pacific Water Summit, which Vietnam
is invited to join.
Also on the sidelines of the ongoing
regional summits, Dung held a meeting with Myanmar Vice President Sai
Mauk Kham on March 13, during which they sought measures to strengthen
bilateral cooperation.
The Vietnamese leader
congratulated Myanmar on the country’s recent achievements,
especially in expanding its external relations to increasingly affirm
its role and position in the region and the world at large.
Vietnam attaches great importance to enhancing the traditional
friendship and close cooperation with Myanmar , Dung said.
The leader affirmed Vietnam ’s support for Myanmar ’s successful
assumption of the ASEAN Chair in 2014, expressing his hope for Myanmar
’s early membership of the Mekong River Commission.
For his part, Sai Mauk Kham highly valued Vietnam ’s achievements in
economic growth and social welfare as well as its economic
restructuring policies and inflation curbing efforts.
He praised Vietnam ’s active role and contributions to peace and
stability in the region and in building the ASEAN Community.
Both expressed their delight at the fruitful development of the two
countries’ relations over the past time, especially in politics, foreign
affairs, economics, trade, investment, national security and defence
and agriculture.
In an effort to deepen the bilateral
ties, the two leaders agreed to increase the exchange of delegations
and people-to-people diplomacy while expanding cooperation between
localities.
They were unanimous to implement
already-reached agreements, focusing on the 12 prioritised areas, and
bring into full play cooperation mechanisms to realise two-way trade
value target of at least 500 million USD by 2015.
The
two sides will also work closely together at regional and international
forums, especially ASEAN and the United Nations, ACMECS and GMS.
At the same time, they will coordinate with other ASEAN member
countries to promote the common stand and the central role played by the
bloc in dealing with regional issues, including those regarding the
East Sea .
These meetings were held on the
sidelines of the 6 th Cambodia-Laos-Myanmar-Vietnam Summit (CLMV 6),
the 5 th Ayeyawadi-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy
Summit (ACMECS 5), and the 7 th Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development
Triangle Summit (CLV 7).-VNA