ASEAN member countries have reached a clear consensus on many issues and are determined to strengthen cooperation with partners at the 44th ASEAN Foreign Ministerial Meeting (AMM44).

 The AMM44 and related meetings and dialogues between ASEAN and its partners that took place in Bali, Indonesia, have become a major event attracting the attention of the international community. High consensus among ASEAN members on many issues and the determination to strengthen cooperation with partners are the results of the successful meeting.

A target for building an ASEAN community by 2015 and ensuring peace, stability and development in the region is the driving force encouraging members to increase their responsibilities and efforts at inner-bloc meetings and meetings with major international partners.

The AMM44 (including 10 ASEAN foreign ministers), the ASEAN + 3 (including 10 ASEAN foreign ministers and three foreign ministers from China, the Republic of Korea and Japan) and ASEAN + 1 (including 10 ASEAN foreign ministers from each partner and dialogue countries) have also achieved significant results.

The new situation in the region and the tension in the East Sea made the meeting “hotter” than before and attracted global attention. ASEAN foreign ministers considered the East Sea issue of great importance to the peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the region. They agreed to settle disputes by peaceful solutions respecting international laws, especially the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC).

Another important landmark was the meeting between ASEAN countries and China, where foreign ministers officially adopted guidelines for implementing the DOC.

The document illustrates the efforts and good-will of ASEAN and China and their joint determination to promote peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the region, as well as building trust and settling disputes through peaceful solutions based on international law. This is a foundation for all relevant sides to learn about new processes, including defining the basic content of the Code of Conduct of the Parties in the East Sea (COC).

The roadmap for building an ASEAN community by 2015 also gained progress at the meeting. Foreign ministers agreed to strengthen inner-bloc links, cooperation and solidarity; improve ASEAN's capacity; build an ASEAN community of peace, stability, prosperity and democracy for the people by 2015; and foster cooperation between ASEAN and its major partners.

They agreed that, as of August 8, 2011, ASEAN member countries will fly the ASEAN flag along with their national flags at their diplomatic representative offices.

They also agreed that ASEAN should actively accelerate revising the regional structure with the ASEAN bloc playing a central role in coping with challenges at regional forums, such as ASEAN + 1, ASEAN + 3, the East Asia Summit (EAS), the Asian Regional Forum (ARF), and the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting Plus (ADMM+).

 

Based on the above results, it is evident that the AMM44 and related meetings and dialogues with partners play an increasingly important, active and creative role within ASEAN for maintaining peace, stability and cooperation in the region and the world. This is also reflected in the meeting's theme, “The ASEAN Community in the Global Community of Nations.”

(VOV)