By Dzung Trieu law firm

Both the East Asia Summit (EAS) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) need to make further contributions to the region’s common goals of peace, stability, security and cooperation in the region.

Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh made the remarks at the 2nd EAS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the 19th ARF held in Phnom Penh on July 12.
He said EAS and ARF should coordinate and supplement other regional cooperation frameworks such as ASEAN plus 1, ASEAN plus 3, and ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting plus (ADMM+).
FM Minh affirmed that EAS continues providing a platform for leaders to discuss important strategic issues, including politics, security and development in the common interest of regional countries and on the basis of goals, principles and capacity of EAS.
The summit should continue promoting the five existing joint priorities and other important cooperation areas, including the establishment of a free trade area in East Asia, and the fight against natural disasters, terrorism and transnational crimes, he said.
Minh also stressed the necessity that ARF further promotes its role as a leading regional forum on politics-security.
The forum needs to effectively implement the Hanoi Plan of Action and the ARF vision statement 2020, boost cooperation to address non-traditional security challenges, such as natural disasters, terrorism, climate change, maritime security and safety.
At both meetings, the Vietnamese diplomat expressed his concern over recent complications in the East Sea with violations to the sovereign and jurisdictional rights over the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of coastal nations.
Minh said that countries must respect principles of international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, including regulations in respect for the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of coastal nations, without the use of force and settlement of disputes through peaceful means.
He also stressed the full implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and building the Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) soon.

Source: VNN/VNA/VOV