Over 100 guests from Greek ministries, researchers, professors, students and international friends on April 7th joined a workshop entitled “ASEAN: A community of opportunities” held in Greece’s capital Athens.

The workshop provided comprehensive and updated information about the ASEAN Community, intensifying the understanding between Greece and ASEAN, while promoting the comprehensive cooperation between Greece and ASEAN in general and with each ASEAN member in particular.

Vietnamese Ambassador to Greece Tran Thi Ha Phuong, as the President of the ASEAN Committee in Athens, gave an overview of ASEAN principles and Charter, highlighting the process of ASEAN development as well as the region’s outstanding achievements in terms of politics, security, economics, culture and society.

According to Ambassador Nestor Zipagan Ochoa from the Philippines, politics and security played a pillar role in ASEAN cooperation, which will help member countries live in peace and stability.

In terms of economic cooperation, Indonesian Ambassador Benny Bahanadewa said that the ASEAN Economic Community is looking towards an single market and a centre for commodity production, in an attempt to fully integrate into the global economy.

Regarding the social and cultural pillars in ASEAN, Thai Ambassador Joompol Manaschuang said the pillars relate to people’s lives such as education, culture, religions, health and environment. “ASEAN is building up a cultural and social Community to benefit the peoples,” she said.

During the workshop, answering questions relating to issues in the East Sea, delegates confirmed that ASEAN held clear and consistent viewpoints in the issues relating to the East Sea by obeying the 1992 ASEAN Declaration on the East Sea and the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), as well as the declarations adopted during ASEAN Summits; and asking China, with its groundless declarations or its illegal building of artificial constructions on the East Sea, to respect international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and DOC./.

( Compiled by VNF )