VIENTIANE – Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Đỗ Hùng Việt, head of SOM ASEAN Vietnam, attended the Senior Officials' Meetings of ASEAN+3, the East Asia Summit (EAS), and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Vientiane, Laos, on June 7-8. The meetings reviewed cooperation, and agreed on directions for developing relevant frameworks in the coming time, and looked into preparations for the ASEAN+3, EAS and ARF Foreign Ministers' Meetings, along with ASEAN+3 and EAS Summits in Laos in July and October, respectively. They affirmed support for ASEAN's principled stance on the East Sea, and promoting efforts by all parties to fully and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and soon achieve an effective and substantive Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS 1982). Addressing the meetings, Việt suggested countries prioritise consolidating and promoting the role of ASEAN+3, EAS and ARF frameworks with ASEAN playing a central role. The official stressed that Vietnam hopes to work together with other countries to build the East Sea into the waters of peace, stability, cooperation and development.
