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| U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton attends the U.S. - ASEAN Ministerial Meeting during the 43rd annual ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Hanoi July 22, 2010. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) |
by Han Qiao, Nguyen Phuong
HANOI, July 22 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said here Thursday that the United States is committed to being an active partner with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and advancing shared interests and values.
Clinton made the commitment at the ASEAN-U.S. Ministerial Meeting with participation of foreign ministers or their representatives from ten ASEAN member states and the United States.
"The ASEAN-U.S. Ministerial Meeting is an essential element of our increased engagement," said Clinton.
"The American future is intimately tied to that of the Asia- Pacific," she said. "The United States is a Pacific nation and we are committed to being an active partner with the ASEAN and with all of you."
The United States commits to assisting nations of the Southeast Asia to remain strong and independent and ensuring that each nation enjoys peace, stability, prosperity and access to universal human rights, said Clinton.
