Deputy PM: Vietnam, ASEAN unanimous in East Sea issue Vietnam and ASEAN countries have reached a consensus on the East Sea issue, said Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh in a recent interview granted to the media about the results of the 24th ASEAN Summit. Deputy Prime Minster cum Foreign Minster Pham Binh Minh. Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung led a Vietnamese delegation to the 24th ASEAN Summit which took place in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar from May 10-11. Regarding the major outcome of the summit, Deputy PM Minh said this is the first summit in Myanmar's ASEAN chairmanship year (2014), in which ASEAN leaders focused their discussion on inner-bloc issues as well as those relating to the international and regional situations. Notably, the theme "Unity towards a peaceful and prosperous community" of the summit is most relevant to the current situation while the international and regional developments are becoming very complex and serious, in particular the ongoing situation in the East Sea. This requires ASEAN countries to strengthen solidarity measures to maintain peace and stability in the region, as well as promote the regional grouping’s central role. The East Sea issue was the focus of this summit as ASEAN leaders expressed their deep concern over China’s recent installation of its giant drilling rig and bringing ships within an ASEAN state’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf. This is a dangerous act, violating international law, the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) in which China is a signatory and seriously affecting security and maritime safety in the East Sea as well as peace and stability in the region. Accordingly, ASEAN leaders agreed to show a common stance on the current situation in the East Sea, asking the concerned parties to exercise restraint, not to use force, peacefully settle disputes in compliance with international law and the UNCLOS, fully implement the DOC and soon build a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) to ensure a peaceful and stable environment in the region and prevent escalating tension. These concerns were reflected in the Nay Pyi Taw Declaration on building an ASEAN Community by 2015 and 24th Summit Chair’s Declaration. ASEAN countries consented to adopt a separate statement of Foreign Ministers on this issue which demonstrated solidarity, unanimity, active role and responsibility of ASEAN for peace stability and security in the East Sea in particular and the region in general and strongly affirmed principles of international law and of ASEAN. This is the first time after nearly two decades (since 1995), ASEAN has had an own statement about a complex situation threatening peace, security and maritime safety in the East Sea. Aside from the East Sea issue, ASEAN leaders also spent much time discussing measures to accelerate the process of building an ASEAN Community from now to 2015- a pivotal period in the building of the community. They also compared notes on international and regional issues of common concern and dilated on orientations for the post-2015 development of the ASEAN Community and ways to expand and deepen ASEAN's external relations, maintain the central role of the bloc in shaping a regional architecture. In terms of the Vietnamese delegation’s contributions, Deputy PM Minh said Vietnam made positive and responsible contributions to the summit’s success, namely: First, PM Nguyen Tan Dung delivered a keynote speech on a roadmap for building an ASEAN community, the future of the ASEAN community and orientations for ASEAN's external relations. Especially, his speech conveyed Vietnam’s clear message about the most serious developments in the East Sea, confirming the country’s consistent stance and constructive proposals for the settlement of this issue. Second, Vietnam promoted unity and ASEAN's crucial role in issues of regional interest. Vietnam joined ASEAN countries in maintaining a consensus and a common responsible voice on the East Sea issue. Reinforcing solidarity and ASEAN’s unanimity on the issue is of paramount importance as it is also a motivation for maintaining solidarity and the regional grouping’s consensus in dealing with other complicated issues. Third, the Vietnamese delegation made positive and significant contributions to the summit’s documents that reflected the priorities of ASEAN and the region, the building of future-oriented ASEAN community, especially solidarity, and the bloc’s leading role in ensuring peace, security, stability, cooperation and development in the region and the world. VOV