Sydney (VNA) –Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has urged the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Australia to intensify cooperation andmutual trust, for interests of each side, as well as for cooperation andstability in the region.

He made the appeal while addressing a retreat between leaders of ASEAN andAustralia within the framework of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in Sydneyon March 18. PM Phuc was one of the four ASEAN leaders invited to deliver akeynote speech at the retreat.

The leader said ASEAN and Australia should make efforts to build open,transparent, inclusive order in the region, and ensure that regional countriesobserve international law and respect each other’s interests.

At the same time, they need to maintain economic connectivity and keep doorsopen to develop prosperously, he stressed, calling on the two sides to firstlyeffectively implement the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand free trade agreement,soon conclude negations of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership(RCEP) agreement.

Attention should be paid to innovations, connectivity promotion, support forbusinesses and improvement of added values of ASEAN economies and Australia inthe global value chain, the PM noted.

He also suggested increasing cooperation programmes targeting people,especially through collaboration in education-training, cultural exchange andpeople-to-people contacts, so as to create a firm foundation for theASEAN-Australia relationship in the future.

Pointing to potential risks to regional maritime security, the PM emphasisedthe need to abide by international law, especially the 1982 United NationsConvention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), saying law respect must be afoundation to build trust and preserve regional stability.

Therefore, the protection of regional security and environment, as well asmarine scientific research should be taken into account in maritimepartnerships, the leader noted.

He applauded efforts made by Vietnam and Australia, along with the EU inco-chairing the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Inter-SessionalSupport Group onmaritime security for 2018-2020, considering this an active contributionto peace, cooperation and trust building in the region.

Vietnam welcomes initiatives for peace and connectivity between the IndianOcean and the Pacific in line with international law, he said.

At the retreat, ASEAN and Australia leaders also discussed strategic regionaland international matters of shared concern, including the Korean Peninsula andEast Sea issues.

Meanwhile, at the plenary session of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit thesame day, they compared notes on orientations of the ASEAN-Australia strategicpartnership with the centre on collaboration in economy and anti-terrorism.

They committed to enhancing affiliation in building a peaceful and prosperousregion for ASEAN citizens.

Australia affirmed its support for ASEAN’s central role in an open, transparent,inclusive and rules-based regional architecture, while increasing dialoguemechanisms at levels with the ten-member group on strategic regional issues.Such dialogue mechanisms include the East Asia Summit (EAS), the ASEAN RegionalForum (ARF) and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM+).

The leaders also agreed to step up trade and investment ties and back themultilateral trade system on the basis of law, along with deepening economiclinks between ASEAN and Australia.

They pledged to create favourable conditions for businesses, especiallysmall-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), support start-ups and promote thedigital economy.

ASEAN and Australia reiterated their commitment to pushing negotiations toconclude the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) agreement asscheduled.

Regarding affiliation in anti-terrorism, they held that the signing of amemorandum of understanding on anti-terrorism on March 17 is a milestone in thejoint combat.

The two sides also consented to step up cooperation in education, training andpeople-to-people exchange, particularly within the framework of the New ColomboPlan.

On the sidelines of the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit, PM Phuc met withCambodian PM Samdech Hun Sen, Thai PM Prayuth Chan-ocha, Myanmar StateCounsellor AungSan Suu Kyi, Malaysian PM Najib Razak, Singaporean PM Lee HsienLong and Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

Cambodian PM Samdech Hun Sen and Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi confirmedtheir participation in the sixth Greater Mekong Sub-region Summit(GMS 6) slatedfor March 29-31, 2018 in Hanoi.

PM Phuc, his spouse and the high-ranking Vietnamese delegation left Sydney onthe afternoon of March 18, concluding their activities within the officialvisit to Australia and the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit.-VNA