ASEAN Secretary General calls for peaceful settlement of East Sea issue
VGP – ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh has called on ASEAN member States to accelerate dialogue for peaceful settlement of East Sea issue in order to maintain peace and security in the region.
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ASEAN Secretary General Le Luong Minh |
He added that the process must be carried out on the basis of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), towards the conclusion of a more legally-binding Code of Conduct (COC).
Regarding recent achievements of the ASEAN Politico-Security pillar, Secretary General Minh said the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) continued to draw the participation of Brazil, the UK, and the EU in 2012, sending to total member countries to 31.
Within the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) framework, preparations for the establishment of a ASEAN Peacekeeping Centers Network are underway. ADMM member countries will also coordinate with partners to organize rehearsals for missions like humanitarian assistance and disaster response, anti-terrorism, and maritime security.
As of January 2013, all ASEAN members States had approved the ASEAN Convention on Counter-Terrorism (ACCT) and are stepping up efforts to join the Comprehensive Plan of Action on Counter Terrorism (ACPOA on CT).
Secretary General Minh said ASEAN is actively considering the Timor Leste’s formal application for full membership of the bloc and seeking ways to expand strategic partnership with other dialogue partners.
For ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), ASEAN and East Asian partners, namely China, the Republic of Korea and Japan, signed an agreement on ASEAN Plus Three Emergency Rice Reserve (APTERR) in October 2012 in a bid to increase food security in the region.
As of December last year, over 74% of the detailed implementation plan for AEC has been completed, according to Minh.
In the Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), ASEAN is now focusing on a more balanced approach to all education and training levels, enhancing coordination among member States and between the bloc and its partners in fields like science and technology, healthcare, disease prevention, bio-diversity protection, environmental protection, and climate change adaptation.
ASEAN have also gained positive progress in boosting connectivity and integration, poverty reduction, and development gap reduction./.
By Hai Minh
