Delegates to ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (Photo: VNA) Bangkok (VNA) – DeputyPrime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has called on theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to consider solidarity, unity,and its central role as core priorities orienting all of its activities.
ASEAN member countries should closely coordinate and support each other topromote creativity, assist startups, and develop high-quality human resourcesamidst the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the official said while addressing theASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat that concluded in Thailand on January 18.
Given the complex developments of the East Sea situation and increasingmilitarisation in the area, Minh urged ASEAN to maintain its solidarity andcommon voice. Doing so would contribute to regional peace, stability, andsecurity on the basis of reached principles covering self-restraint, zero militarization,and full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct ofParties in the East Sea (DOC), towards an effective and efficient Code ofConduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with international law, including the1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982 UNCLOS).
During the two-day retreat, ministers reviewed the building of the ASEANCommunity and discussed the realisation of the outcomes from the 33rd ASEANSummit that took place last November, according to a press statement issuedfollowing the event.
More than 80 percent of ASEAN’s action lines have been implemented while the 10-membergroup’s combined economy grew at over 5 percent during 2018.
The ASEAN is looking to take various measures, including the initiative to buildnetworks of smart cites and cybersecurity, in order to adapt to intensive andextensive impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
The ministers also reached a consensus on ASEAN’s 2019 theme of “AdvancingPartnership for Sustainability”, and agreed to carry out a range of initiativesin different cooperation areas.
Accordingly, the member countries will step up efforts to ensure peace andsecurity sustainably, and effectively cope with non-traditional securitychallenges.
At the same time, ASEAN will increase communications work, people-to-peopleexchange, and social welfare, while consolidating its capacity for combating naturaldisasters.
ASEAN stands ready toenhance comprehensive cooperation with its partners; carry forward its centralrole; and build an open, transparent, and inclusive regional architecture basedon international laws.
The ministers consented that ASEAN needs to regularly discuss the East Seaissue, and noted their concerns over reclamation work and other activities thathave eroded trust, increased tensions, and harmed regional peace and security.
They agreed to push ahead with negotiations of the COC in an effective andefficient manner, including the completion ofthe first reading of the Single Draft COC Negotiating Text in 2019.
They also agreed to continue assisting Myanmar in stabilising the life oflocals in Rakhine state, and welcomed positive developments on the KoreanPeninsula.
ASEAN groups together 10 member nations of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia,Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam. –VNA
VNA
