PM raises strategic orientations for ASEAN vision

Leaders of ASEAN at the 26th ASEAN Summit, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia - Photo: VGP

PM Nguyen Tan Dung made the statement at the plenary session of the 26th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on April 27.

As the deadline comes near, PM Dung said member States should uphold the sense of responsibility, harmoniously combine national interests with the common ones of the group, and enhance solidarity and unity to realize the target.

Emphasizing the importance of post-2015 ASEAN vision, PM Dung said the vision should adhere to the basic principles of the Association, inherit and promote achievements of ASEAN Community building between 2009-2015 in order to further expand and deepen ASEAN connectivity.

The vision should also cover measures to enhance solidarity and unity and display the central role of ASEAN, especially in maintaining peace, security and development in the region and in handling regional issues. It should also be a vision which promotes the mastership of ASEAN people in ASEAN Community formulation process.

PM Dung also stressed on the necessity to further beef up ASEAN’s external relations through dialogues and collaboration so as to strengthen the bloc’s capacity to cope with economic and security challenges, including non-traditional ones.

Concerned about current activities on the East Sea, he stressed the significance of abiding by self-restraint principle, not complicating the situation and settling disputes by peaceful means in line with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards the early formulation of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

ASEAN leaders voiced their deep concern over the current developments in the East Sea while underlining the importance of ensuring peace, stability, security and safety of navigation and aviation and of the principles on the East Sea agreed by the Association.

In his opening speech, Malaysian Najib Razak stated that “While we continue our engagement and cooperative relationships with countries outside ASEAN, we need to peacefully manage differences closer to home, including overlapping maritime claims, without increasing tensions”.

Recent developments have raised concerns about the South China Sea – and given the importance of its sea lanes to international trade, it is natural that almost any occurrence there will attract attention. ASEAN must address these developments in a proactive, but also in a positive and constructive way, he said.

Respect for international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, must be the basis of the rules of engagement and activities in the South China Sea.

As Chairman, he said Malaysia hopes that we will achieve progress in our efforts towards the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct.