ASEAN calls for making East Sea a sea of peace, stability and prosperity
(VOVWORLD) - ASEAN has affirmed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation in and flight over the East Sea and recognized the benefits of making the East Sea a sea of peace, stability, and prosperity.
 Participants to the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM-56) in Jakarta, Indonesia. (Photo: VOV) |
This was stated in the joint communique of the just-concluded 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The joint communique said ASEAN reaffirmed the need to enhance mutual trust and confidence, exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability, and avoid actions that may further complicate the situation. ASEAN further reaffirmed the need to pursue peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with the universally-recognized principles of international law.
ASEAN emphasized the importance of non-militarization and self-restraint in the conduct of all activities that could further complicate the situation and escalate tensions in the East Sea. The Association is looking forward to the early completion of an effective and substantive Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) that is in accordance with international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).