Foreign Ministers from ASEAN member countries reached agreement onnumerous important issues at the 43rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM-43)in Hanoi on July 20.
They agreed to strictly andeffectively implement cooperation programmes and plans in the roadmapfor building an ASEAN Community.
They affirmed that boostingefforts to tighten ASEAN linkage would make a strong foundation forregional connection.
The ASEAN FMs also agreed to speed upefforts to comprehensively implement the ASEAN Charter by continuing tocomplete and improve the coordination of agencies in the new apparatusand complete all documents to create a legal framework for ASEANactivities at present and for an ASEAN Community in the future.
Theypassed a two-year working plan for the ASEAN IntergovernmentalCommission on Human Rights (AICHR).
The FMs affirmed ASEAN’sdetermination and efforts to uphold their key role in boostingcooperation for peace, security and stability in the region and toaccelerate negotiations, cooperation and building trust on issues ofregional political and security cooperation.
They stressed thatASEAN would continue accelerating the implementation of mechanisms andinstitutions for peace and security in the region, including the Treatyof Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the Southeast AsiaNuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ), the Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
Atthe meeting, the ASEAN FMs agreed to hold a signing ceremony forCanada and Turkey to join the TAC. TAC participating countries willalso sign a protocol on amendment of TAC to create favourableconditions for EU/EC countries to join this treaty.
They alsostated their intention to continue cooperation in fighting terrorism,transnational crime, maritime security and safety.
On ASEANexternal relations, the FMs affirmed to continue deepening practical andeffective cooperation with their partners, focusing on economic tradeand investment, finance, energy, food, climate change, natural disastersand epidemic control.
ASEAN will cooperate with its partners inthe preparations for ASEAN Summits with partners, including China ,Japan , the Republic of Korea , India , Russia , the US , the UN,Australia and New Zealand , to be held in the second half of theyear.
They also approved the appointment of 11 ambassadors ofpartner countries to ASEAN, bringing the total number of ambassadors toASEAN to 41.
They had discussions on the vision for the regionalstructure in the future to ensure ASEAN continues to play a centralrole.
ASEAN encourages partners to take part in the shaping ofregional cooperation structure.
They hailed Russia and the USfor their wish to become members of the East Asia Summit (EAS) and willask ASEAN leaders to offer an official invitation to the two countriesat the 17 th ASEAN Summit (scheduled for October in Hanoi ).
Affirmingthe importance of the cooperation mechanism of the ASEAN+3 and EAS tothe process of the East Asia cooperation, the ASEAN FMs agreed tocontinue speeding up the two processes with ASEAN+3 being a major tooland EAS supporting a long-term target of building an East AsiaCommunity.
The ASEAN ministers also exchanged views on regionaland international issues of mutual concerns, particularly on ASEANefforts on recovery and sustainable development.
ASEAN praisedVietnam , as ASEAN Chair, for coordinating the bloc’s common stance andfor contributing to the recent Toronto G-20 Summit.
Theyapproved the joint communique of AMM-43./.
They agreed to strictly andeffectively implement cooperation programmes and plans in the roadmapfor building an ASEAN Community.
They affirmed that boostingefforts to tighten ASEAN linkage would make a strong foundation forregional connection.
The ASEAN FMs also agreed to speed upefforts to comprehensively implement the ASEAN Charter by continuing tocomplete and improve the coordination of agencies in the new apparatusand complete all documents to create a legal framework for ASEANactivities at present and for an ASEAN Community in the future.
Theypassed a two-year working plan for the ASEAN IntergovernmentalCommission on Human Rights (AICHR).
The FMs affirmed ASEAN’sdetermination and efforts to uphold their key role in boostingcooperation for peace, security and stability in the region and toaccelerate negotiations, cooperation and building trust on issues ofregional political and security cooperation.
They stressed thatASEAN would continue accelerating the implementation of mechanisms andinstitutions for peace and security in the region, including the Treatyof Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the Southeast AsiaNuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ), the Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).
Atthe meeting, the ASEAN FMs agreed to hold a signing ceremony forCanada and Turkey to join the TAC. TAC participating countries willalso sign a protocol on amendment of TAC to create favourableconditions for EU/EC countries to join this treaty.
They alsostated their intention to continue cooperation in fighting terrorism,transnational crime, maritime security and safety.
On ASEANexternal relations, the FMs affirmed to continue deepening practical andeffective cooperation with their partners, focusing on economic tradeand investment, finance, energy, food, climate change, natural disastersand epidemic control.
ASEAN will cooperate with its partners inthe preparations for ASEAN Summits with partners, including China ,Japan , the Republic of Korea , India , Russia , the US , the UN,Australia and New Zealand , to be held in the second half of theyear.
They also approved the appointment of 11 ambassadors ofpartner countries to ASEAN, bringing the total number of ambassadors toASEAN to 41.
They had discussions on the vision for the regionalstructure in the future to ensure ASEAN continues to play a centralrole.
ASEAN encourages partners to take part in the shaping ofregional cooperation structure.
They hailed Russia and the USfor their wish to become members of the East Asia Summit (EAS) and willask ASEAN leaders to offer an official invitation to the two countriesat the 17 th ASEAN Summit (scheduled for October in Hanoi ).
Affirmingthe importance of the cooperation mechanism of the ASEAN+3 and EAS tothe process of the East Asia cooperation, the ASEAN FMs agreed tocontinue speeding up the two processes with ASEAN+3 being a major tooland EAS supporting a long-term target of building an East AsiaCommunity.
The ASEAN ministers also exchanged views on regionaland international issues of mutual concerns, particularly on ASEANefforts on recovery and sustainable development.
ASEAN praisedVietnam , as ASEAN Chair, for coordinating the bloc’s common stance andfor contributing to the recent Toronto G-20 Summit.
Theyapproved the joint communique of AMM-43./.
