Vietnam starts talks on ASEAN membership<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Vietnam began preparations for its admission
\ninto the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) by
\nsending a senior delegation to meet with Secretary General Ajit
\nSingh here yesterday.<\/p>\n
\"This is a historic occasion because it is the first time that
\nVietnam and ASEAN officially talked about the issues relating to
\nmembership,\" said Singh following a meeting with Vietnamese
\nDeputy Foreign Minister Vu Khoan at the ASEAN Secretariat in
\nSouth Jakarta.<\/p>\n
In a morning meeting which ran till lunch time, the two
\ndiscussed various issues relating to procedures, rights and
\nresponsibilities of Vietnam as a new member.<\/p>\n
\"From what I can see, Vietnam is taking all the necessary
\nsteps to become a member as soon as possible, and I think the
\nadjustment process should not take too long,\" Singh told The
\nJakarta Post.<\/p>\n
ASEAN, a regional grouping set up in 1967, consists of six-
\ncountries -- Thailand, Singapore, the Philippines, Brunei,
\nMalaysia and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
During the ASEAN ministerial meeting in Bangkok last July,
\nmembers gave their consent to Vietnam's membership in the
\nassociation.<\/p>\n
The next step is for Vietnam to send an official membership
\napplication, which according to Vu Khoan will be done by next
\nmonth.<\/p>\n
\"If the application comes in by next month then we will start
\nlooking at it very seriously and hopefully we can reach a
\ndecision by the next summit,\" Singh said, referring to the ASEAN
\nSummit to be held in Bangkok in December 1995.<\/p>\n
Newest member<\/p>\n
Alluding to the adjustments Vietnam has to make as the newest
\nmember of association, Vu Khoan said his country had taken
\nnoticeable measures such as the creation of an ASEAN section in
\nthe foreign ministry in Hanoi.<\/p>\n
\"Vietnam is a late comer but I think it can adjust to the
\nASEAN spirit,\" Khoan said while affirming that his country would
\n\"accept all basic documents of ASEAN.\"<\/p>\n
Despite remaining confident of Vietnam's ability to adopt the
\nASEAN way, Singh acknowledges that in some areas Hanoi will lag
\nbehind the other fellow members.<\/p>\n
\"Particularly the economic side where Vietnam would take a
\nlittle longer to adjust,\" he said.<\/p>\n
As Vu Khoan readily admits, Vietnam's admission to ASEAN is
\nalso aimed at improving the economic and the development of
\ninfrastructure in his country.<\/p>\n
When asked on the likelihood of Laos and Cambodia as new
\nmembers in the near future, Singh said Laos with its observer
\nstatus has not indicated when it would apply for membership,
\nwhile Cambodia is showing keen interest in becoming an observer.<\/p>\n
\"I shall be going to Phnom Penh later this year to discuss the
\nissue,\" he said.(mds)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/vietnam-starts-talks-on-asean-membership-1447893297",
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