Vietnam assumes ASEAN chairmanship

INDONESIA: Vietnam assumed the chairmanship of ASEAN from Thailand on Friday, the ASEAN Secretariat said in Jakarta.

With a theme of "Towards the ASEAN Community from Vision to Action", Vietnam will hold the chairmanship until Dec. 31, 2010.

During its presidency, Vietnam, which joined the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 1995, will focus on working with other ASEAN members to speed up the implementation of agreements, plans and programs, including implementation of the ASEAN Charter and the Roadmap for an ASEAN community.

The ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said he was impressed by Vietnam's preparations to take over ASEAN's chairmanship.

"The new Chair has a clear set of priorities and agenda which are useful as an implementation and support guide for ASEAN member states, the ASEAN Secretariat, ASEAN dialogue partners and other external parties," Surin said in a press release sent to The Jakarta Post on Friday. - JP