At the meeting (Source: VNA) Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has proposed initiatives to further the role of the ASEAN+3, the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in peace, security and development in East Asia.
The proposals were made during his speeches to the 22 nd ARF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (ARF 22), the ASEAN+3 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (ASEAN + 3 FMM) and the fifth EAS FMM in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on August 6.
The Deputy PM stressed that the ASEAN+3, EAS and ARF should develop towards strengthening widespread cooperation while ensuring ASEAN’s central role, addressing regional security challenges and promoting regional connectivity.
He asked partners to continue supporting ASEAN to achieve community building goals beyond 2015.
He briefed guests on the ongoing complicated developments in the East Sea and underscored Vietnam and ASEAN’s stance on maintaining peace and stability as well as settling disputes in accordance with international laws.
On the occasion, he called on partners to continue backing ASEAN and contribute to regional peace, stability and friendship.
During the ARF 22, ministers agreed to enhance the ARF’s role in addressing traditional and non-traditional security challenges and strengthen coordination across diverse domains, especially the non-proliferation of nuclear weapons, anti-terrorism and trans-national crime, maritime security, disaster response and humanitarian aid.
They also adopted a number of ARF future activities.
While at the ASEAN+3 and EAS FMMs, the East Sea issue was high on the agenda with ministers expressing their concerns over the recent developments in the East Sea, especially China’s construction of artificial islands and reclamation efforts.
They underscored the importance of ensuring peace, stability, security, maritime and aviation safety and freedom, peacefully settling disputes in accordance with international law—especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, exercising restraint, refraining from the use of force and threat to use force, fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and formulating a Code of Conduct in the East Sea as soon as possible.
On evening the same day, the 48 th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related meetings with partners closed.-VNA
