The Ambassador of Indonesia – the country that currently holds the chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) – talks with VietNamNet about challenges for the new cabinet of Vietnam and the East Sea disputes.
He stressed that in the last five years, despite big challenges in the second half of Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s term, Vietnam attained impressive growth rate.
“Last year Vietnam regained its growth rate, 6.5 percent. This year the rate is forecast at 6.5 to 7 percent. Development in all fields is very good. Let’s remember the time Vietnam began integrating into the region in 1995 and into the World Trade Organisation in 2007. Vietnam has developed very fast to become a middle-income country. That is impressive!”
The Indonesia Ambassador said that Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung brought up the top priorities in his new term in the inauguration speech. “We believe in the Vietnamese government’s commitments,” Mr. Pitono Purnomo said.
He pointed out that inflation and trade deficit are the problems facing other countries, including the US and China. Indonesia had to struggle with high inflation caused by financial crisis in the past.
“I believe that Vietnamese leaders, with their experience and effort, will bring Vietnam over the difficult period. Indonesia will be side by side to share experience with Vietnam,” he added.
According to the Indonesian ambassador, since joining ASEAN, Vietnam has become not only a responsible member, but a member that has quickly adapted itself and made big moves in the region.
“Vietnam assumed the ASEAN chairmanship twice and personally, from my heart, I think that Vietnam played the role of the ASEAN chairmanship in 2010 marvelously,” he said.
According to him, Vietnam invited Russia and the US as observers at the East Asia Summit (EAS) 2010 in Hanoi. These countries officially became partners at the EAS 2011 in Indonesia. Vietnam played well the role of a coordinator of differences between big countries.
Related to the recent tension in the East Sea, Mr. Pitono Purnomo emphasized that Indonesia encourages and support a peaceful solution for the East Sea disputes, based on international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 and the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).
The Indonesian Ambassador said that China is a strategic partner of ASEAN. Therefore, Indonesia, as the chairman of ASEAN and Vietnam, as the coordinator of ASEAN-China relations, worked with China to sign the guidance document for the implementation of the DOC, and will continue promoting the quick implementation of joint projects related to DOC and under the ASEAN-China strategic partnership for peace, prosperity and to contribute to build the ASEAN Community.
“We do not agree with the use of force to solve disputes,” he stressed. He also emphasized that any escalation that lead to conflicts is not the interest of ASEAN. “ASEAN does not want to use military and force to solve disputes.”
Answering the question about the division of ASEAN before China’s policy to solve the East Sea disputes bilaterally, the Indonesian ambassador said: “I don’t think that ASEAN is divided. We have established a regional forum on politics-security to exchange viewpoints and to solve differences. As I emphasized, any escalation that leads to conflicts is not our interest. We have always tried to avoid it. We need a peaceful, prosper region and economic harmony among nations in the region.”
He said that the agreement reached between ASEAN and China on the guidance document for the implementation of the DOC at Bali in late July is a significant landmark. “But it is important to go beyond this agreement,” he added.
Xuan Linh
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