PM Phan Van Khai takes part in the ASEM-IV
Ha Noi, Sept. 21 (VNA) -- Prime Minister Phan Van Khai will join State and Government leaders of 25 ASEM member countries and the Chairman of the European Commission to attend the fourth Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM-IV).
Viet Nam's participation in the ASEM-IV, scheduled for Copenhagen, Denmark, from Sept. 22-24, aims to continue with the open foreign policy of diversification and multilateralisation, speeding the integration in its Asia-Europe cooperation framework.
Since the ASEM was set up in Bangkok in 1996, Viet Nam has actively taken part in the Asia-Europe cooperation.
At the ASEM-II held in London, Britain, in April 1998, Viet Nam's initiative on combining traditional and modern medicine in caring for people's health, and the Viet Nam-France initiative on preservation of and bringing into play ASEM member countries' cultural heritage were passed. Viet Nam successfully hosted the first meeting of ASEM experts on cultural heritage in January 1999, a seminar on combination of traditional and modern medicines in community's healthcare in March 1999, and a seminar on combination of traditional and modern medicines in treatment of some difficult diseases in December 2000.
Viet Nam contributed to the Asia-Europe fund in the 1997-2001 and 2002-2006 periods, and coordinated with the Asia-Europe fund and the institute for external relations of Denmark to organise a seminar on political security development in Asia-Europe cooperation in Ha Noi in December 2001.
Apart from attending all important conferences of the ASEM, commenting on ASEM documents, participating in other activities within the Asia-Europe cooperative framework, and acting as an Asian coordinator in ASEM (in the period from the third ASEM Meeting in Oct. 2000 to the fifth ASEM Meeting in Ha Noi in 2004), Viet Nam successfully organised the third ASEM Economic Ministers' Meeting in Ha Noi on Sept. 10-11, 2001.
Viet Nam will continue contributing to the success of the fourth ASEM Meeting and to boosting the Asia-Europe cooperation, for peace and development in the two most dynamic regions in the world.
The fourth ASEM Meeting will also provide Viet Nam with an important opportunity to increase contacts and exchange of views and broaden cooperation with other ASEM member countries in order to gain more investment, commercial, and scientific and technological cooperation from developed countries to practically serve Viet Nam's development cause.--Enditem
