ASEAN still an important block at global level - FM Mohamad

By Kenny Teng Khoon Hock

VIENTIANE, July 28 (Bernama) -- The presence of world powers at the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) and Related Meetings in Laos, clearly shows that ASEAN is still an important bloc at the international level.

Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the presence of ASEAN dialogue and non-dialogue partners proves the importance of ASEAN in shaping the current global geopolitical landscape.

"The presence of ASEAN Dialogue Partner countries and other external partners at this ASEAN conference is a manifestation of ASEAN's ability as a ‘convening power’, capable of bringing world and regional powers to the negotiating table.

"ASEAN is a very important block that can shape world politics and determine the direction of the world," he told the Malaysian media after the 57th AMM ended this Saturday.

Meanwhile, Mohamad, who led the Malaysian delegation to the AMM meeting that started on Wednesday, also expressed his gratitude that all 19 meetings of ASEAN members, as well as nine meetings with fellow ASEAN countries and various other dialogues, had gone well.

The 57th AMM was attended by all the foreign ministers of the ASEAN-member countries except Vietnam, which was represented by its Deputy Foreign Minister Do Hung Viet while Myanmar was represented by its Permanent Secretary of the Foreign Ministry, Aung Kyaw Moe.

The meeting was also attended by the foreign ministers of ASEAN Dialogue Partners, including US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, United Kingdom Foreign Secretary David Lammy and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell-Fontelles.

In addition to the ASEAN Conference with interested countries, he said Malaysia also held bilateral meetings with leaders from Australia, China, Canada, the European Union, India, Norway, South Korea, Turkiye and the United Kingdom.

He said a number of important matters such as the Southeast Asian Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (SEANWFZ), the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) and the South China Sea issue, as well as regional and international political issues, had been discussed and agreed upon by the member states. 

He said all ASEAN-member countries have agreed that Southeast Asia remains a nuclear-free area and free from the threat of nuclear weapons.

"ASEAN also urged countries that have nuclear weapons to sign the ‘Treaty of Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone’ in an effort to reach a common understanding in this region," he said.

Regarding the AICHR, Mohamad said the issue of cruelty against the Palestinian people and the conflict in Myanmar had been hotly discussed.

"Like other ASEAN friends, Malaysia wants the cruelty against the Palestinian people to be stopped, as well as the return of democracy to the people of Myanmar by holding free elections with the participation of all interested parties," he said.

Meanwhile, on the South China Sea issue, Mohamad said: "Alhamdulillah, China has reached an agreement with the Philippines regarding the South China Sea to ease the situation. These ASEAN countries want to see the South China Sea as a free sea." 

Overall, Mohamad said Malaysia has played an active role in seeking ASEAN consensus on issues of mutual interest.

"This is proven through Malaysia's proposals that have been adopted by other ASEAN-member states," he said

He said Malaysia will continue to fully support the chairmanship of ASEAN by Laos, and work closely with Laos and other ASEAN countries to continue to make progress in building the ASEAN Community.

"Taking into account that the country will chair ASEAN in 2025, Malaysia will continue to maintain this positive momentum, and ensure that Malaysia's voice continues to be loud on the international stage.

"Malaysia will also continue to work closely with ASEAN-member states to make ASEAN an important bloc in the global political and economic system with various advantages possessed by each of its member countries," he said.

-- BERNAMA