At the workshop (Photo: VNA) The hybrid ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) workshop,co-organised by the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the EU, Australiaand New Zealand, brought together about 200 representatives from 27 ARF membercountries, regional and international organisations, diplomatic offices,research institutes, ministries and agencies.
In his opening remarks, Assistant to the Minister ofForeign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu reiterated the significance of the 1982 UNCLOS,especially in the context of emerging challenges to the settlement of maritime issues,requiring intensive and extensive international cooperation.
The 1982 UNCLOS is an important basis for countriesin the region to enhance trust and cooperation, for peace, security andprosperity, he stressed, adding that all disputes and maritime issues should beaddressed by peaceful measures in line with international law, including the Convention.
Illustrative image (Source: Unclos.jpg) Thomas Wiersing, deputy head of the EU Delegation toVietnam, emphasised the leading role of ASEAN in promoting peace and stabilityin the region, affirming the EU’s support for the early completion of a substantiveand legally-binding Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea.
Chargé d'affaires of the Australian Embassy in HanoiMark Tattersall spoke highly of the ARF’s role in security and cooperation dialoguesin Indo-Pacific.
Delegates shared the view that the 1982 UNCLOS isthe most crucial legal tool to maintain peace and stability in the region,creating a framework to push ahead with the settlement of both traditional andemerging maritime issues in the region./.
VNA
