(VOVworld) - The 9^th Asia – Europe Meeting Summit officially opens Monday in the Lao capital, Vientiane with the theme “Friends for Peace, Partners for Prosperity”. Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung is attending the event along with heads of states of member countries, the European Commission and the ASEAN Secretariat. High on the agenda are the current economic and financial situation, global challenges, regional issues, and cooperation between ASEM countries. Opening the meeting, the General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party, President Choummaly Sayasone emphasized the importance of the meeting for ASEM cooperation and the world trend of dialogues and links. At the plenary meeting after the closing ceremony, Prime Minister Dung suggested that ASEM create a new momentum for economic cooperation pillars of the forum via close coordination of economic-financial policies, stronger implementation of “Trade Facilitation Action Plan” and Investment Promotion Action Plan” of ASEM. He said ASEM needs to pay more attention to development issues, regional links and balancing interests between developing and developed members. PM Dung added ASEM members should speed up experience sharing and cooperation in growth model, green economy and rural development. He called on ASEM to continue support and contribute to the International Monetary Fund and international institutions for more equality, democracy and  efficiency. Later on, PM Dung attend the 13^th Asia-Europe Business Forum, where he underlined Vietnam’s policy of international integration, macro-economic stabilization and reforms of growth model. He also called on international business people to contribute more to government efforts and further economic ties between both continents and public-private partnership.

On the fringes of the ASEM 9 meeting in Vientiane, Laos, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung held bilateral talks with the leaders of several ASEM member countries.

During his meeting with the French President, Francois Hollande, the leaders of both countries agreed to boost the progress of certain key projects, especially in science and technology, education and training and energy. They urged for the organization of a Vietnam – France Year to mark the 40^th anniversary of their diplomatic ties next year.

In a separate meeting, Bulgarian President Rosen Plevneliev said bhe ws keen to enhance bilateral relations with Vietnam, especially in trade, economics, investment, energy, education and training, and pharmaceuticals. President Plevneliev said that he will pay an official visit to Vietnam early next year.

In his meeting with Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, the PM said he was committed to carrying out more high-level exchanges to expand their current good relationship. They discussed conditions for a strategic partnership to bring bilateral relations to a new level. They also discussed measures to foster unity within ASEAN, reached a consensus on ASEAN issues and the success of the forthcoming ASEAN summit.

Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung then held talks with his Italian counterpart Mario Monti and agreed on activities to mark the 40^th anniversary of diplomatic ties next year. They also confirmed they would work closely at regional and global forums.

Measures to boost bilateral ties were the main focus of a meeting between Prime Minister Dung and his Luxembourg counterpart Jean-Claude Juncker. Dung said that Vietnam, as coordinator of ASEAN – EU relations since this July, will do its utmost to strengthen relations between both blocs as well as individual countries.

Later the same day, Prime Minister Dung received UK Foreign Minister William Hague, met with Slovenia’s Prime Minister Janet Jansa and greeted the leaders of Bangladesh, Norway and Switzerland as new ASEM members.