AMM 50: Vietnam suggests early pragmatic negotiations of COC

Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has appealed to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to intensify exchanges with China to soon start pragmatic negotiations of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), making it effective and legally binding.
AMM 50: Vietnam suggests early pragmatic negotiations of COC ảnh 1The first meeting of the 50th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 50) in Manila, the Philippines (Source: EPA/VNA)
Manila (VNA) – ForeignMinister Pham Binh Minh has appealed to the Association of Southeast AsianNations (ASEAN) to intensify exchanges with China to soon start pragmaticnegotiations of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC), making it effectiveand legally binding.

He was addressing the ongoing 50th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting(AMM 50) in Manila, the Philippines on August 5.
The ASEAN foreign ministers onAugust 5 reached a consensus on a draft framework for a code of conduct (COC)of parties in the East Sea. The draft is expected to be submitted to theASEAN-China Foreign Ministers’ Meeting for approval on August 6.

Minh applauded ASEAN and China for theirfull implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the EastSea (DOC).

He also reiterated Vietnam’s consistent stance on the significance of peace,stability, navigation and aviation security and safety in the East Sea toregional peace and stability.
Disputes should be resolved peacefullyin accordance with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on theLaw of the Sea (UNCLOS), and respect for legal and diplomatic processes, hesaid, stressing the need for concerned parties to back efforts to build trustand prevent conflicts.

He noted that developing a suitable andsatisfactory approach to the East Sea issue constitutes ASEAN’s practicalcontribution to long-term peace and stability in the region and also proves itscompetence, efficiency and central role in regional and internationalmatters. 

Vietnam’s viewpoints were echoed byother countries, which emphasised the importance of solidarity and unity,ASEAN’s centrality in the present context, and especially basic principles ofinternational law, including the UNCLOS.

They held that it is necessary toeffectively and pragmatically contribute to maintaining peace and stability byexercising restraint, building trust, and especially avoiding actions that canharm regional peace and stability such as reclamation and militarisation ofentities at sea.

The participating FMs expressed theirconcerns over challenges to regional security, both traditional andnon-traditional, including the increase of terrorism and piracy, the situationin the Korean Peninsula and the East Sea.

Given the regional and global backdrop,they pledged to intensify efforts for dialogue and cooperation, step up thebuilding and sharing of codes of conduct in relations between countries in theregion, and raise ASEAN’s self-reliance in dealing with such challenges.

Talking about non-traditional securitychallenges, Minh pointed out adverse impacts of terrorism and piracy onsecurity and social order in the region.

Vietnam will work together with otherASEAN members to strengthen comprehensive cooperation within regionalmechanisms and frameworks in order to cope with the problems, he stated.

Establishedin 1967, ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, thePhilippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-VNA
VNA

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