(VOVworld) - The 20th ASEAN-EU Foreign Ministerial Meeting opened in Brussels on Wednesday. This is the first meeting co-chaired by Vietnam and the EU, during the time Vietnam has acted as the coordinator for ASEAN-EU dialogue relations (2012 -2015). The Vietnamese delegation is led by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Pham Binh Minh.
Ahead of the opening ceremony, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh met with several EU leaders including the Danish Foreign Minister, German Foreign Minister, and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
During talks with Danish Foreign Minister Martin Lidagaard, both sides agreed to speed up the implementation of the 2014-2015 Action Plan to quickly realize the Vietnam-Danish comprehensive strategic partnership established in September 2013. The two leaders reiterated both countries’ determination to lift two-way trade turnover to 1 billion USD by 2016. Denmark proposed FTA negotiations with Vietnam and pledged to urge the EU to finalize its FTA negotiations with Vietnam soon.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Danish Foreign Minister Martin Lidagaard
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While meeting with German Foreign Minister Frank Walter Steinmeier, the diplomat said Germany was gearing up efforts in preparation for Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s visit to Germany this October which is expected to deepen both countries’ strategic partnership, especially in economics, trade, and investment. Both sides alo agreed to boost the implementation of their key projects.
At a meeting with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, Deputy PM and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh thanked the European Commission and EU countries for supporting Vietnam with 540 million euros in development aid for 2014, as well as the EC’s commitment to increase 400 million euros in aid for Vietnam during the 2014-2020 period. Ms. Ashton confirmed that the EU will support Vietnam in improving the country’s crisis management capacity, as well as Vietnam’s participation in UN peace keeping activities.
EU Foreign Ministers also vowed to support Vietnam in boosting its comprehensive cooperation with the EU, speeding up the approval of the EU-Vietnam Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) and soon finalize negotiations on an EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (FTA). They hailed Vietnam’s active role as EU-ASEAN coordinator for the 2012-2015 period.
They also voiced their concerns over the East Sea issue and supported Vietnam’s stance in settling disputes through peaceful means and in accordance with international law, to ensure peace, stability, navigation freedom and safety in the region.