Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Quoc Dung chairs the meeting. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi (VNA) – The ASEAN Regional Forum Senior Officials’ Meeting (ARF SOM)was held via video conference on July 21 under the chair of Vietnamese Deputy Minister of ForeignAffairs Nguyen Quoc Dung.
Themeeting saw the attendance of representatives from 27 ARF member countries andorganisations, and the ASEAN Secretariat.
Thedelegates reviewed the ARF’s activities during 2020-2021 amidst the outbreak ofthe COVID-19 pandemic, and lauded Vietnam, as ASEAN Chair 2020, for its proposal of urgentmeasures to maintain dialogues and cooperation within the ARF.
Theyagreed to flexibly adjust the existing programmes and plans, maintainsactivities of working groups, and put forth working plans for the time ahead,in order to promote cooperation in prioritised areas like disaster relief and thefights against terrorism, cross-border crime and the proliferation ofdestruction weapons, among others.
Toprepare for the 27th ARF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the officialscompleted the draft Hanoi Plan of Action II of the ARF, with orientations andmeasures to promote dialogues and cooperation in trust building for 2020-2025.
Theyshared the view on common challenges faced by the region and the world,including the COVID-19 pandemic, escalating tensions and competition betweenpowers, along with non-traditional security issues like terrorism, extremeviolence, cyber security, natural disasters and climate change.
Manycountries expressed concern over recent complex developments and incidents inthe East Sea, such as increasing militarisation, the harassment of normaleconomic activities of coastal countries, and the violations of internationallaw and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, thus harmingregional peace and security.
Inthis circumstance, they stressed the need to exercise restraint and take noactions that complicate the situation and escalate tensions.
Theyalso called for the full and effective implementation of the Declaration onthe Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) and soon reach an effective and practical Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) in line with internationallaw and the 1982 UNCLOS.
Many nations appreciated ASEAN’s stance and principles on the East Sea issues during therecent 36th ASEAN Summit.
Addressingthe meeting, Dung, who is also head of SOM ASEAN Vietnam and SOM ARFVietnam, proposed the ARF carry forward its role as a major forum for countriesto enhance dialogues, solidarity and cooperation to effectively cope withemerging challenges.
Giventhe adverse impact of COVID-19, Vietnam suggested the upcoming ARF 27 issue astatement on collaboration in preventing and combating contagious diseases, hesaid.
Accordingto the deputy minister, to raise the operational efficiency of the ARF, ASEANis promptly completing documents to systematise and standardise procedures inthe ARF, as initiated by Vietnam.
Echoingother delegates’ view, Dung said maintaining peace, stability, security, safetyand freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea is the common interest andconcern of all countries.
Hesaid the 1982 UNCLOS has created a legal framework to adjust all activities at seas and oceans, which all countries have to observe.
Dungused the occasion to call on countries to back ASEAN’s stance, and contributeto peace, stability and security in the East Sea./.
VNA
