Philippines calls on ASEAN to uphold 1982 UNCLOS hinh anh 1Illustrative image (Source: pna.gov.ph)

Hanoi (VNA) – The Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) needs to uphold the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) as the legal framework under which all ocean activities are regulated, a Philippine official has said.

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary of ASEAN Affairs and ASEAN-Philippines Director-General Junever Mahilum-West made the call at the recent 10th ASEAN Maritime Forum (AMF) and the 8th Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF) via video conferences.

"We urge the members of the AMF and the EAMF to work towards fulfilling their obligations under the 1982 UNCLOS for the peace, stability, and prosperity of our region," Mahilum-West said in a news release on December 17.

The official also expressed the Philippines’ steadfast commitment to achieving the early conclusion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that is in accordance with international law, particularly the 1982 UNCLOS.

The diplomat highlighted the Philippines’ priorities in maritime governance and cooperation, including the establishment of the National Coast Watch Council to strengthen interagency coordination on maritime affairs, and cited the Trilateral Cooperation Arrangement with Indonesia and Malaysia to combat transnational maritime crimes in the Sulu-Sulawesi Sea.

Established in 2010, the AMF is a venue for dialogue on a wide range of maritime issues such as maritime security trends, maritime cooperation, maritime domain awareness, and maritime environmental protection, among others./.

VNA