Vietnam's admission to ASEAN seen as good opportunity
Vietnam's admission to ASEAN seen as good opportunity
HANOI (AFP): Vietnam's admission to the Association of South East Asian Nations at the end of this week provides "an opportunity but also constitutes a challenge," for Vietnamese businessmen, Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cam said yesterday.
Speaking a few days before leaving for the ASEAN ministers' meeting in Brunei, Cam told a press conference: "The level of economic development in Vietnam is lower (than in other ASEAN members).
"That requires Vietnamese businessmen to increase their activity and skill in order to be able to catch up with other partners in ASEAN."
Cam said Vietnam's rapid admission to the regional forum was "a very logical development in relations between Vietnam and each member of ASEAN," -- Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
He said there was an "increasing interdependence among nations," and that "if one country wants to develop itself it has to integrate itself either into the regional community or into the world community".
Vietnam has began negotiating its entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO) and also hopes to join the Asia Pacific Economic forum (APEC).
"I am sure Vietnam joining (ASEAN) will accelerate the process of its participation in these two organizations," the minister said.
"The previous decades have witnessed ups and downs ... there was even a period of confrontation" among nations of South East Asia, Cam said.
"Now circumstances in the region have shifted and many countries are trying through cooperation to develop themselves and to develop the entire region," he said.
Cam is scheduled to hold bilateral meetings with a number of his ASEAN counterparts at the meeting.
The ASEAN was formed in 1967 as a pro-western rampart against communism at the height of the Vietnam War.
Cam indicated he may also meet U.S. Secretary of State Warren Christopher, who will also be in Brunei, to discuss Christopher's historic visit to Hanoi in early August, following the normalization of relations between the U.S. and Vietnam, announced earlier this month.
Vietnam is gearing up to join the ASEAN free trade area, AFTA, on Jan. 1, 1996, but will enjoy a three-year honeymoon before being obliged to lower certain trade tariffs. Vietnam is also to conduct major tax reforms to make its system more compatible with its ASEAN partners.
"The question of the time-table when Vietnam will fully join the AFTA as well as the question of tax reduction are the subject of discussion between Vietnam and other ASEAN members," the minister said.
Cam said the regional argument over the Spratlys islands -- claimed in whole or in part by six countries in the region including three ASEAN members -- and the Paracels, disputed by Vietnam and China, "cannot be resolved overnight," adding "it is necessary to avoid using force or threat of using it".
Experts have said, however, that with Vietnam a full member, ASEAN should nevertheless try to adopt a common position on the disputed Spratlys.
Cam reassured that Vietnam will be able to fully meet its obligations and requirements as a full member of ASEAN.
The regional forum holds some 200 meetings a year, which may prove to be a tall order for Vietnam both in terms of organizational and cost commitments.