The 17 th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), the last ministerial meetingwithin the framework of the 43 rd ASEAN ministerial meetings andrelated meetings, took place in Hanoi on July 23 under thechairmanship of Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of ForeignAffairs Pham Gia Khiem.
The event, comprising of aretreat session and a plenary session, was attended by foreignministers and heads of delegations of 27 ARF participants.
The ministers have exchanged views on international and regionalissues of common interest, reviewed the process of cooperation in thepast year and mapped out future direction of the forum for the years tocome.
The ARF participants reiterated their supportfor ASEAN to continue playing an important role in promoting cooperationand dialogue for confidence building in the region; stressing theimportance of bringing into full play ASEAN’s established mechanisms andinstruments for peace and regional stability, namely the Treaty ofAmity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), Treaty on the SoutheastAsia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ), Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC) and the ARF.
Sharingviews on the shaping of the regional architecture, the ARF participantsexpressed their support for ASEAN’s central role; welcomed ASEAN’sefforts in encouraging and promoting deeper engagement of dialoguepartners in the regional cooperation process, including theparticipation of Russia and the US in the East Asia Summit withappropriate times and arrangements.
On regionalsituation, the ministers expressed deep concern about the Cheonanincident on March 26 and extended condolences to the Government of theRepublic of Korea for the loss of lives; called on all concernedparties to exercise self-restraint and resolve all disputes by peacefulmeans. They also encouraged the parties to return to the six-party talkswith a view to achieving the denuclearisation of the KoreanPeninsula for its lasting peace and stability.
Theministers were briefed by Myanmar on recent developments in thecountry, including preparations for the upcoming general election. Theyexpressed hope that the election will take place in a free and fairmanner with the participation of parties which would lay the foundationfor the long term stability and development of the country. Theparticipants also extended their support to Myanmar to work withASEAN and the United Nations in the process of national reconciliationas well as the country’s development.
The ministersstressed the importance of maintaining peace, security and stability inthe East Sea ; reaffirmed their support for the effectiveimplementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the EastSea (DOC), towards the eventual conclusion of a Regional Code of Conductin the East Sea (COC) in the future. They called on strengtheningdialogue, promoting confidence building among concerned parties, as wellas resolving disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the spiritof the DOC and recognised principles of international law including theUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
On future direction of the ARF process, the ministers reaffirmed thatARF remains the key forum to discuss political and security issues inthe region with ASEAN at the central position, while continuing to beone of the pivotal elements in an evolving regional architecture. Theministers emphasized the need for ARF to maintain its relevance andbecome more action-oriented in addressing multi-dimensional challenges,especially the non-traditional security threats such as climate change,disaster, and maritime security.
The ARFparticipants agreed and adopted the Hanoi Action Plan to implement theARF Vision Statement, which contains concrete and practical goals andmeasures to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous ARF area by 2020.
The ministers also adopted a list of 17 cooperativeactivities for the period of 2010-2011. All ARF participants agreed onthe need to further promote cooperation towards preventive diplomacyalongside the conduct of confidence building measures; better improvemodalities and strengthen effective ARF’s activities; increasecoordination in sharing information and enhance policy transparency,cooperate in dealing with non-traditional security challenges; intensifylinkages between Track I and Track II as well as encourage deeperparticipation of senior defence officials at this forum.
Accordingly, the ministers agreed to adopt the ARF Annual SecurityOutlook Standardised Format (ASO); the Work Plan on Disaster Relief; theWork Plan on Counter-terrorism and Transnational Crime and the WorkPlan on Maritime Security. They tasked senior officials to work onpossible ways to strengthen the ARF Unit as part of the ASEANSecretariat.
The forum closed with the issue of a Chairman’s Statement on outcomes of the forum.
On the same day, ASEAN foreign ministers witnessed the SigningCeremony of the Instrument of Accession to the Treaty of Amity andCooperation (TAC) by Canada and Turkey ; and signed with the TACHigh Contracting Parties the Third Protocol amending TAC to allow forthe accession of EU to the Treaty./.
The event, comprising of aretreat session and a plenary session, was attended by foreignministers and heads of delegations of 27 ARF participants.
The ministers have exchanged views on international and regionalissues of common interest, reviewed the process of cooperation in thepast year and mapped out future direction of the forum for the years tocome.
The ARF participants reiterated their supportfor ASEAN to continue playing an important role in promoting cooperationand dialogue for confidence building in the region; stressing theimportance of bringing into full play ASEAN’s established mechanisms andinstruments for peace and regional stability, namely the Treaty ofAmity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), Treaty on the SoutheastAsia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ), Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC) and the ARF.
Sharingviews on the shaping of the regional architecture, the ARF participantsexpressed their support for ASEAN’s central role; welcomed ASEAN’sefforts in encouraging and promoting deeper engagement of dialoguepartners in the regional cooperation process, including theparticipation of Russia and the US in the East Asia Summit withappropriate times and arrangements.
On regionalsituation, the ministers expressed deep concern about the Cheonanincident on March 26 and extended condolences to the Government of theRepublic of Korea for the loss of lives; called on all concernedparties to exercise self-restraint and resolve all disputes by peacefulmeans. They also encouraged the parties to return to the six-party talkswith a view to achieving the denuclearisation of the KoreanPeninsula for its lasting peace and stability.
Theministers were briefed by Myanmar on recent developments in thecountry, including preparations for the upcoming general election. Theyexpressed hope that the election will take place in a free and fairmanner with the participation of parties which would lay the foundationfor the long term stability and development of the country. Theparticipants also extended their support to Myanmar to work withASEAN and the United Nations in the process of national reconciliationas well as the country’s development.
The ministersstressed the importance of maintaining peace, security and stability inthe East Sea ; reaffirmed their support for the effectiveimplementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the EastSea (DOC), towards the eventual conclusion of a Regional Code of Conductin the East Sea (COC) in the future. They called on strengtheningdialogue, promoting confidence building among concerned parties, as wellas resolving disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the spiritof the DOC and recognised principles of international law including theUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
On future direction of the ARF process, the ministers reaffirmed thatARF remains the key forum to discuss political and security issues inthe region with ASEAN at the central position, while continuing to beone of the pivotal elements in an evolving regional architecture. Theministers emphasized the need for ARF to maintain its relevance andbecome more action-oriented in addressing multi-dimensional challenges,especially the non-traditional security threats such as climate change,disaster, and maritime security.
The ARFparticipants agreed and adopted the Hanoi Action Plan to implement theARF Vision Statement, which contains concrete and practical goals andmeasures to build a peaceful, stable and prosperous ARF area by 2020.
The ministers also adopted a list of 17 cooperativeactivities for the period of 2010-2011. All ARF participants agreed onthe need to further promote cooperation towards preventive diplomacyalongside the conduct of confidence building measures; better improvemodalities and strengthen effective ARF’s activities; increasecoordination in sharing information and enhance policy transparency,cooperate in dealing with non-traditional security challenges; intensifylinkages between Track I and Track II as well as encourage deeperparticipation of senior defence officials at this forum.
Accordingly, the ministers agreed to adopt the ARF Annual SecurityOutlook Standardised Format (ASO); the Work Plan on Disaster Relief; theWork Plan on Counter-terrorism and Transnational Crime and the WorkPlan on Maritime Security. They tasked senior officials to work onpossible ways to strengthen the ARF Unit as part of the ASEANSecretariat.
The forum closed with the issue of a Chairman’s Statement on outcomes of the forum.
On the same day, ASEAN foreign ministers witnessed the SigningCeremony of the Instrument of Accession to the Treaty of Amity andCooperation (TAC) by Canada and Turkey ; and signed with the TACHigh Contracting Parties the Third Protocol amending TAC to allow forthe accession of EU to the Treaty./.
