EAS promotes dialogues and cooperation in the region

The fifth East Asia Summit (EAS) focused on strengthening cooperation in five priority areas including education, finance, energy, climate change and bird flu prevention.

  

Addressing the opening ceremony in Hanoi on October 30, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung emphasised that the EAS has achieved dynamic developments over the past five years, contributing to dialogues on strategic issues and strengthening understanding and cooperation among participating nations for peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

To mark the 5th anniversary of EAS, leaders reaffirmed the goals and principles of EAS and agreed to approve the Hanoi Declaration and continue to consolidate and strengthen dialogue and devise orientations and priorities for development in the future.

The EAS also focused on issues related to researching, and expanding cooperation in some new fields such as climate change, and sustainable development and post-crisis recovery.  

Leaders at the EAS also voiced support for the Statement of ASEAN Leaders on Human Resource and Skills Development for Economic Recovery and Sustainable Growth approved recently at the 17th ASEAN Summit. They agreed to co-ordinate closely with ASEAN for sustainable economic growth in the region.

EAS nations also agreed to conduct feasibility research for establishing an East Asia Free Trade Area (EAFTA) along with the Comprehensive Economic Partnership for East Asia (CEPEA).

EAS leaders also discussed issues of regional and international concern, including the co-ordination and the ASEAN President’s participation in the G20 Summit in Seoul, Republic of Korea, and global nuclear security.

Leaders also agreed on the role of EAS in promoting dialogues, and cooperation in the region. In the future, EAS should boost dialogues on political and economic issues to promote peace, stability and prosperity in East Asia, including dealing with traditional and non-traditional challenges, and resolving disputes peacefully based on respect for international laws.

The leaders also assigned ministers and relevant agencies to devise a proper mechanism to effectively implement decisions by senior officials, actively promoting the EAS.

The expansion of EAS and the region’s new structure were also discussed. The summit supported ASEAN’s view on creating the region’s structure through the current regional cooperative forums and ensuring the central role of ASEAN, highlighting the active participation and contributions of partners when dealing with challenges. Leaders of the EAS also decided to admit Russia and the US to the EAS in 2011.

The participation of these two nations will be based on respecting EAS goals, principles and priorities and supporting the key role of ASEAN. After the official decision, the EAS invited the Russian and US Secretaries of State to be special guests of the Chairman of the current Summit. PM Nguyen Tan Dung, the chairman of the summit also officially announced the decision of EAS leaders to invite Russian President and the US President to attend the sixth EAS in 2011.

Concluding the summit, the chairman approved the declaration of the results and important decisions of the fifth EAS.