ASEAN Foreign Ministers debate various issues in Laos

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith of Laos chaired the event, and saw the attendance of ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh and Foreign Ministers from the ten ASEAN member countries. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh headed the Vietnamese delegation to the Retreat. Recent developments in the region are one of the key topics discussed at this meeting.

Speaking at the retreat, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh said Vietnam fully supports the ASEANcooperation priorities for 2016 proposed by Laos, emphasising the importance of maintaining peace and stability in the region.

He added that theASEAN should promote confidence-building measures and preventive diplomacy, construct rules and standards of conduct to prevent conflict in the region, and improve the ASEAN's capacity to respond to emergencies, including the operation of early warning mechanisms and rapid response systems. He also stressed that the ASEAN needs to establish a common voice regarding complicated issues in the region, especially the East Sea.