The ASEAN Foreign Ministers reached a high consensus on the bloc’sviewpoint on the East Sea issue at their meetings on April 10-11,agreeing that the matter is the bloc’s mutual concern as it relates topeace, stability and security in the entire region.
Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister Pham Quang Vinh has recounted theoutcomes of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, the 9th ASEANPolitics-Security Community Council Meeting and the ASEAN CoordinatingCouncil Meeting in Brunei during an interview he granted to thepress.
He said at these meetings, the FMs reiterated the bloc’scommon principles of ensuring peace, stability, maritime security andsafety, and peaceful settlement of disputes.
These also includethe respect for international law and the United Nations Convention onthe Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the full implementation of the Declarationon the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and the earlyachievement of the Code of Conduct (COC) in the East Sea .
The ministers laid special emphasis on the need for the group tocontinue uniting and further bringing into full play their centrality touphold these common principles.
According the Vinh,the ministers all highlighted the serious respect and implementation ofcommitments relating to the East Sea issue, especially theDeclaration on Six-point Principles on the East Sea , and theASEAN-China joint statement on the 10 th anniversary of DOC signing.
They committed to soon having the COC to ensure peace, stability andsecurity in the East Sea in a better and more efficient manner andagreed to assign ASEAN senior officials to actively consult China so asnegotiations on the COC can start early.
On thisoccasion, the ministers voiced their support and high evaluation of theactive role and contributions made by Brunei in its capacity as ASEANChair 2013 and by Thailand as a coordinator for ASEAN-Chinarelations to promoting ASEAN principles and the COC.
They agreed with and supported the ASEAN Chair – Brunei – to issue a press release on the East Sea issue.
Presentat these meetings, Vietnam closely worked with Brunei , Thailandand other ASEAN member countries to ensure the group’s common voiceheard and its leadership maintained while effectively implementingASEAN’s goals and principles on the East Sea .
Vietnam strongly backed the group’s Declaration on Six-point Principleson the East Sea, as well as peace, stability, and maritime security andsafety in the East Sea, peaceful resolution of disputes without usingforce, the respect for international law and the UNCLOS, the fullimplementation of the DOC and the early conclusion of the COC.
The Vietnamese delegation to these events, led by Foreign MinisterPham Binh Minh, made important contributions to ASEAN’s commonprioritised focuses, preserving and intensifying ASEAN unity andpromoting the group’s external relations.
Besides theEast Sea issue and other regional matters of mutual concern, theASEAN foreign ministers agreed on the bloc’s prioritised orientationsfor 2013.
Accordingly, ASEAN needs to enhance solidarity andfurther promote their leading role in addressing major issues regardingpeace, security, stability and development in the region.
Thegroup need to continue its efforts to enhance dialogues, build trust andshare code of conduct standards while deploying political and securitycooperation tools including the Treaty and Cooperation (TAC), theSoutheast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ), the DOC, theASEAN Regional Forum and the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus(ADMM+).
At the same time, the bloc should uphold itscentral role in the evolving regional architecture as well as withinregional cooperation frameworks such as ASEAN+1, ASEAN+3, the Eat AsiaSummit and the ARF.-VNA