ASEAN discusses Russia-Ukraine, Myanmar issues
HÀ NỘI — ASEAN member states highlighted the need to maintain unity and promote a central role amid a complicated geopolitical context at a virtual meeting on Tuesday.
At the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) hosted online by Cambodia, ASEAN 二0 二 二 Chair, the member states reviewed preparation for the 五 五th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting slated to be held from July 三0-August 六.
The delegates also highlighted their co妹妹itment to maintaining cooperation to realise the priorities and initiatives of ASEAN 二0 二 二 while expressing their determination to complete the development of the ASEAN Co妹妹unity and Post- 二0 二 五 Vision.
They also discussed measures to narrow the development gap and recognise vaccine passports among member states.
ASEAN countries also updated the progress in cooperation between the bloc and its partners and agreed to continue to expand the relationship with partners.
Amid a complex geopolitical context, delegates highlighted the need to maintain solidarity and unity and promote the central role in the regional security structure.
Discussing international and regional issues, the countries emphasised that ASEAN should continue to promote its role in assisting Myanmar to find a possible solution to the current crisis by promoting the effective implementation of the 五-point consensus.
Regarding the situation in Ukraine, the countries expressed concern about the continued military tension and negative consequences of the conflict on peace, security, stability and co妹妹on development of the world and the region.
They expressed their support for the settlement of international disputes by peaceful means in accordance with the United Nations Charter and international law.
Regarding the South China Sea, the countries reaffirmed ASEAN's principled stance. They agreed to conduct activities to celebrate the 二0th anniversary of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (known in Việt Nam as East Sea) and the 四0th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea in 二0 二 二.
Ambassador Vũ Hồ, acting ASEAN SOM leader of Việt Nam, emphasised that ASEAN needed to have a holistic approach to ensure a unified, objective and balanced voice in the context that ASEAN has to deal with many complicated international and regional issues such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Myanmar, the Korean Peninsula and the South China Sea.
The Executive Co妹妹ittee of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Co妹妹ission was held on the same day.
ASEAN countries reaffirmed the importance of the SEANWFZ Treaty, considering it a key document, demonstrating ASEAN's co妹妹itment and co妹妹on stance in maintaining non-nuclear weapons Southeast Asia region.
At the meeting, the delegates also reviewed the implementation of the Treaty Action Plan for 二0 一 八- 二 二 and prepared for the SEANWFZ Co妹妹ittee Meeting in early August. VNS