Vietnam highlights significance of multilateral cooperation at MSEAP 4

Permanent Vice Chairwoman of the National Assembly Tong Thi Phong at the 4th Meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries’ Parliaments (MSEAP 4) in Nur Sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan, on September 24 (Photo: VNA)

At the 4th Meeting of Speakers of Eurasian Countries’ Parliaments (MSEAP 4) in Nur Sultan, the capital city of Kazakhstan, on September 24, Phong stressed the meeting’s theme “Greater Eurasia: Dialogue, Trust, Partnership” and highlightedVietnam's proactive and active international integration policy.

The official proposed to increase the building of trust, mutual understanding and respect, and promote co-operation, dialogue and exchange of experience in the field of parliament.

She also tabled the ideaof promoting regional, inter-regional and global multilateral co-operation in economy, trade, technology transfer, and called for attention to cultural exchanges in Asia and Europe, building a culture of dialogue for peace, tolerance and harmony among countries.

The MSEAP 4 brought together 65 parliamentary delegations from European and Asian countries and 14 international and inter-parliamentary organisations. At the MSEAP 4, parliamentarians discussed ways of ensuring safe and sustainable development of the Eurasian continent and the implementation of major economic integration projects in the 21st century.

In addition to plenary sessions, dozens of bilateral meetings were held on the sidelines of the event, enabling parliamentarians to exchange law-making experience and co-ordinate efforts and actions towards increasing the wellbeing of their peoples.

Following the opening ceremony in the morning, participants attended three plenary sessions and adopted a joint statement in the afternoon.

The statement affirms the important role of the parliaments of Asian and European countries in maintaining regional integration activities to ensure comprehensive partnerships on the basis of respect for equality and mutual benefits. The formation of constructive co-operation relationships among Asian and European countries can create a great impetus to develop common space and promote regional economic growth, it says.

The statement emphasises strengthening inter-parliamentary cooperation to deal with common challenges, including terrorism, ensure network security, combat the use of information and communication technology and new technologies in order to destabilize security, use the internet to spread terrorist and extremist ideas. It also calls for dialogue to ensure the denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula and actively co-ordinate on the issue of disarmament.

MSEAP is a Eurasian parliamentary co-operation mechanism initiated by the Chairman of the State Duma of Russia and the Speaker of the National Assembly of the Republic of Korea. It was first held in Russia in 2016. The next meeting will be held in Bali, Indonesia in 2020.

Earlier in the day, Phong met with the Republic of Korea (RoK) National Assembly Speaker Moon Hee Sang on the sidelines of the MSEAP 4.

She lauded the initiative by the parliaments of Russia and the RoK in strengthening coordination of legislative bodies in Asia and Europe as well as the role of parliamentary diplomacy, and highlighted that Vietnamese NA supports the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Currently, about 170,000 Korean are living in Vietnam and 200,000 Vietnamese in the RoK, including about 65,000 Vietnamese brides.

The NA Vice Chairwoman thanked the RoK for supporting the Vietnamese community in the country, affirmed that Vietnam welcomes the New Southern Policy of the RoK and spoke highly of the RoK’s stance on the East Sea issue. She also proposed that the RoK continue supporting the viewpoint of the ASEAN and Vietnam in maintaining peace, stability and settling disputes in the East Sea through peaceful measures in line with international law and the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Party in the East Sea (DOC) and soon reaching a Code of Conduct in the East Sea.

In 2020, Vietnam will take the role of a non-permanent United Nations Security Council, the ASEAN and AIPA-41 Chair. Vietnam hopes for support from the Government and NA of the RoK during the performance of the roles, Phong said.

For his part, Moon showed his delight at the growth of the RoK-Vietnam relations with strong mutual trust and expanded partnership in all fields. Vietnam is a favourite destination for Korean tourists, he noted, stressing that the country also has a special position in the RoK’s New Southern Policy.