The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has renewed its
determination to reinforce efforts towards establishing an ASEAN
Community by 2015 at the 46 th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM-46) and
related meetings that have freshly concluded in Bandar Seri Begawan,
Brunei.
ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh has stated that during an interview he granted to reporters at the end of the AMM-46.
“AMM-46 is a success, manifesting ASEAN’s solidarity and unity, especially in settling sensitive issues, Minh said.
He noted that as of March, 2013, regional countries have fulfilled up
to 80 percent of the adopted measures serving the community building.
The Secretary General, however, admitted that there are a lot of
things need to be accomplished from now till 2015 as the remaining tasks
are tougher, requiring member nations to exert stronger efforts and
make higher commitments.
As the bloc has considered what it
needs to do after its community is in place, it is mulling over an
overhaul of its bodies, including ASEAN Secretariat, to ensure the ASEAN
Community will forge high economic competitiveness and develop in an
equal, sustainable and fair way.
Turning his attention to the
East Sea issue, leader Minh stressed that ASEAN reached a high consensus
on dealing with the East Sea issue on the basis of its Six-Point
Principles and respect to international law and the 1982 United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea, settling disputes by peaceful means
and exercising self-restraint to avoid the use of force in international
relations.
He highlighted that the settlement of the East Sea
issue in compliance with regulations is not only significant to the
maintenance of peace and stability for ASEAN member countries but also
for China, which directly involves in the dispute.
The East Sea
issue should not only be perceived as a matter of peace and security to
the region but also an affair of ensuring maritime security and safety
at sea, which have received interests from all countries around the
world, said the Secretary General.
He mentioned that ASEAN and
China have agreed to continue with dialogues and consultations to fully
and effectively implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in
the East Sea (DOC) and formulate a Code of Conduct in the East Sea
without any delay.
China and ASEAN concurred that their
high-ranking officials will convene their meeting this September to
discuss how to continue the full and effective implementation of the DOC
and officially talk about how to get the COC in place.
As for
the stance of ASEAN’s dialogue partners on regional issues, Secretary
General Minh said all of them vowed to continue backing the bloc’s
efforts to build the Community by 2015.
They have also supported
ASEAN’s stance and efforts in settling the East Sea issue with China on
the basis of the ASEAN’s Six-Point Principles to guarantee regional
security stability and maritime security and safety.
At present,
74 foreign countries have posted their Ambassadors to ASEAN, which show
their interest in fortifying cooperation with ASEAN at a time when the
bloc needs more support to achieve its Community building by 2015, the
ASEAN Secretary General said.-VNA