VIETNAM ASEAN COOPERATION IN SOUTHEAST-ASIA

Vietnam is trying to take advantage of the new opportunities to develop friendly and cooperative relations with the ASEAN countries. Internally, perceptions of Vietnam's interest have changed; internationally, global relaxation of tensions and a solution to the Cambodia problem have removed major obstacles to normalization; economically, favourable conditions have been created for foreign engagement. ASEAN countries have reacted positively. Generally positive Vietnam - ASEAN relations can facilitate the resolution of disputes also in bilateral relations. Vietnam - located between Southeast Asia and China - will need to be even-handed to both; thus Vietnam attaches great importance to normalization with China on the basis of peaceful coexistence. Any return to the old alliance of the 1950s and the 1960s is excluded.