(VOVworld) - Senior officials from ASEAN members and ASEAN’s partners, including the US, Russia, Japan, China, and the European Union met at the ASEAN Regional Forum’s Senior Officials' Meeting (ARF SOM) in Luang Prabang, Laos, on Sunday.
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| ARF SOM in Laos scrutinises regional security (Source: VOV) |
The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung. The meeting assessed cooperation within the forum in 2015-2016 and discussed ways to strengthen the ARF’s future direction. Preparations for the 23rd ARF Foreign Ministers’ Meeting were also on the agenda.
Vietnam submitted a draft statement which called for stronger cooperation among law enforcement agencies at sea within ARF. The draft was co-sponsored by the European Union and Australia.
Attendees compared notes on such issues as the East Sea, Ukraine, migration, and terrorism.
Delegates stressed the importance of ensuring peace, stability, navigation and aviation safety, security, and freedom in the East Sea and settling maritime disputes peacefully in line with international law, including the 1982 UNCLOS, and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC) towards adopting a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).