ASEAN Foreign Ministers Issue Joint Statement to Maintain Peace
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. (Source: ASEAN.org)
Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on the occasion of 53rd Anniversary of ASEAN agreed to issue a joint statement affirming their commitment to continue to become locomotive for peace, security, and prosperity in the region and in the Indo-Pacific region.
“The statement was made in response to the rising dynamics and changes in regional and global geo-politics that may bring impacts on peace, stability, and security in the Southeast Asia and Indo-Pacific Region,” reads a release by Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Sunday (9/8).
In their statement, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers issued eight main points, as follows:
- Making ASEAN a peaceful, safe, neutral, and stable region;
- Promoting ASEAN to remain united, cohesive, and resilient in advancing the principles in the ASEAN Charter;
- Strengthening the importance of maintaining all principles stated in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation-TAC, the Zone of Peace, Freedom, and Neutrality-ZOPFAN, and the Bali Principles;
- Appealing to all parties to refrain from activities that may increase escalation in the region;
- Promoting strategic trusts to be built in the region in peaceful ways through dialogue and cooperation;
- Affirming ASEAN centrality and continued cooperation with ASEAN partners through an ASEAN-led mechanism;
- Affirming the principles in the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP);
- Affirming support for the principles of multilateralism in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
According to the information in the release, the statement was proposed by Indonesia and developed and strengthened by ASEAN countries through a thorough deliberation.
Since the end of July this year, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi has intensively communicated with all ASEAN Foreign Ministers to discuss the latest developments in the region.
“Indonesia calls on ASEAN countries to continue to make the Southeast Asian Region a peaceful, free, and neutral region in accordance with the principles in the ZOPFAN and TAC Declarations,” reads the release. (MoFA/EN)
Translator: Muhardi
Reviewed by: M. Ersan Pamungkas
