Hanoi (VNA) – In a speech marking the ASEAN’s 41 st founding anniversary (August 8) broadcast on national TV’s on August 7, PM Dung said the achievements of ASEAN and its partners have laid an important foundation for the association to increase and intensify regional cooperation in the coming period as well as improve the its role and prestige in the international arena.

“The leading important factor for the ASEAN to continue to achieve successes in the new stage is that the association should promote concerted efforts to ensure a peaceful, stable and cooperative environment in the region on the basis of the goals and basic principles set by the ASEAN in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) and the ASEAN Charter,” the PM said.

“Member countries should continue to do their utmost to strengthen the association’ unity, increase friendship and the sense of community, promote cooperation and solve all differences by peaceful measures.

“Meanwhile, the ASEAN should continue to play the leading role in regional matters, actively accelerate the process of negotiation and cooperation in the region, create opportunities for external partners to take part in and contribute to handling challenges to peace, security and development in Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific region.”

The PM suggested that ASEAN make further efforts to improve the quality of “unity in diversity” in the spirit of common objectives and basic principles such as “consensus” and “non-interference”.

“This requires each member country to make a strong political commitment to the ASEAN linkage process and the ASEAN family, further harmonising national interests with that of the whole ASEAN region for a common goal of the association,” the PM said.

He went on to say that ASEAN should accelerate the implementation of programmes of actions on the building of the ASEAN Community by taking specific measures and preparing appropriate resources.

“ASEAN should take practical measures to quickly narrow the existing development gap between its member countries, particularly between the old and new members, through the efficient implementation of the ASEAN Linkage Initiatives,” he said.

The Vietnamese government leader also recommended that ASEAN member countries include their national development programmes into ASEAN connectivity programmes.

According to the PM, the impending task for the group is to quickly bring the ASEAN Charter to life.

“The charter will bring about a reform in the organisation-apparatus and mode of operation of the association, helping improve the quality and efficiency of cooperation between member countries,” he said.

Vietnam is an organic part of ASEAN and is a member with sense of responsibility of the ASEAN Family, the PM said, adding that Southeast Asia and ASEAN are of strategic significance to Vietnam as they directly relate to Vietnam ’s security and development.

A tightly-linked and united ASEAN which has an important international role and position is completely in line with Vietnam ’s basic and long-term interests, he said.

“Therefore, we always view ASEAN, in both multilateral and bilateral cooperation, as an important part in our foreign policy of independence, self-reliance, multilateralisation, diversification and friendly neighbourliness,” he said.