At the meeting

The meeting is presided over by DeputyForeign Minister and head of the ASEAN SOM Vietnam delegation Nguyen Quoc Dung.

The meeting reviewed preparations for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (AMM Retreat) slated for January 16 and 17. The officials also discussed the pace of implementation of ASEAN leaders’ decisions at the 35th ASEAN Summit in Thailand in 2019, as well as external relations, regional and international issues, among others.

Participants spoke highly of the orientations,priorities and initiatives proposed by Vietnam as Chair of ASEAN in 2020 tocarry out cooperation plans of ASEAN in the year.

They also affirmed to put more efforts intoraising the organisation’s central role and positive image in international forums.

They added that as Vietnam and Indonesia are both non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, ASEAN has more chances to bolster exchanges and cooperation with the UN and other international organisations, thereby positively contributing to peace, stability, security and prosperity of the region and the world.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy FM Dung pledged that as ASEAN Chair in 2020, Vietnam will spare no efforts for successof the ASEAN Community.

A programme of ASEAN SOM and documentswaiting for approval in the year were introduced on the occasion.

ASEAN Foreign Ministers are scheduled tohold a working session in the evening of January 16./.VNA