AMM-56: ASEAN underscores trust in dealing with East Sea issue
VOV.VN - The 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting discussed the situation in the East Sea and expressed concern over land reclamation activities coupled with serious incidents that have occurred in the region that erode trust, hike tensions, and potentially undermine peace, security, and stability in the area.
In a joint statement released after the two-day meeting in Jakarta, the ministers reaffirmed the need to consolidate mutual trust and confidence, as well as exercising self-restraint when conducting activities that may complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability. This should be done alongside avoiding actions that could further complicate the situation.
The regional bloc reaffirmed its pursuit of peaceful solutions in order to solve disputes in accordance with widely recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
They underlined the importance of non-militarisation and self-restraint in conducting activities that may serve to further complicate the situation and escalate tension in the East Sea.
The ministers also underscored the importance of the full and effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in East Sea (DOC). They therefore welcomed the progress made in negotiations for an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in accordance with international law, including the UNCLOS.
They concluded by stressing the importance of adopting preventive and trust building measures in a bid to foster confidence among all concerned parties.