RoK Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Kyung-wha (Photo: EPA/VNA) Sydney (VNA) – Australia and the Republic of Korea (RoK) expressedtheir grave concern over recent developments in the East Sea, and affirmed theimportance to maintain and promote peace and stability in the waters, at thefourth Australia – RoK Foreign and Defence Ministers Meeting in Sydney.
In a joint statement announced on December 12, Australian Minister for ForeignAffairs Marise Payne and Minister for Defence Linda Reynolds, and their Koreancounterparts Kang Kyung-wha and Jeong Kyeong-doo emphasised the significance ofupholding freedom of navigation and overflight, and the need for states toresolve disputes peacefully in accordance with international law, including the1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The ministers acknowledged ongoing discussions on a Code of Conduct (COC) in theEast Sea, and called for a COC to be consistent with international law,including UNCLOS, to respect the rights and interests of all states underinternational law, and to reinforce existing inclusive regional architecture.
The joint statement also clarified the two countries’ mutual interest inpromoting a strong and resilient regional structure, including responding tochallenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Both sides reiterated their strongcommitment to ASEAN centrality and the ASEAN-led regional architecture,particularly the East Asia Summit.
The ministers welcomed the adoption of the East Asia Summit Leaders’ Statementon Cooperation to Combat Transnational Crime (on November 4), and the ASEANRegional Forum Statement on Promoting the Women, Peace and Security Agenda (onAugust 2) that both nations had co-sponsored./.
VNA
