Vietnam pledges to meet obligations

Vietnam pledges to meet obligations

BANGKOK (Reuter): Communist Vietnam admitted yesterday it
faced new challenges after its recent entry into the non-
communist Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) but
pledged to meet membership obligations.

"As an ASEAN member, we are fully aware of new challenges as
well as membership obligations," Prime Minister Vo Van Kiet said
in an interview with Thailand's The Nation newspaper.

ASEAN groups Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei,
the Philippines and its newest member Vietnam.

Vietnam will be attending an ASEAN summit in Bangkok on
Thursday and Friday for the first time. Kiet said Vietnam had set
up a National Committee for ASEAN to work towards meeting its
obligations.