Phu Yen Online - Vietnam attends ASEAN Regional Forum senior officials meeting

The ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Senior Officials' Meeting (SOM) took place on June 14 under the chairmanship of ASEAN Chair 2023, Indonesia.

The focus of the conference was to review the situation and direction of ARF cooperation, discuss international and regional issues of mutual concern, and prepare for the 30th ARF Ministerial Meeting (July 2023). Ambassador Vu Ho, Acting Head of ASEAN SOM Vietnam, led the Vietnamese delegation to the conference.

The countries acknowledged that ARF cooperation has made positive progress in recent times, especially in implementing activities in the 2022-2023 mid-term, although the region is still affected by COVID-19; and acknowledged efforts in implementing the Hanoi Action Plan II (2020-2025).

On that basis, the countries discussed and agreed on many measures to accelerate the implementation of the remaining action lines in the Hanoi Action Plan II as well as consider action proposals for the 2023-2024 mid-term.

Noting the 30th anniversary of its establishment, the countries reaffirmed that the ARF is the leading forum in the region to promote dialogue and cooperation on political and security issues, and to promote confidence building and preventive diplomacy.

In the context of complicated developments in the world and the region, containing many challenges, affecting the environment of peace, security, stability and cooperation in the region, the countries agreed on the need to strengthen cooperation, promote the central role of ASEAN, ensure that the ARF maintains its adaptability, and effectively contributes to efforts to resolve challenges in the region.

Discussing international and regional issues, the countries expressed concern about the impact of hot spots such as the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Korean peninsula, Myanmar, etc. on peace, stability and development in the region. Accordingly, the countries called on relevant parties to exercise restraint, reduce tensions, increase dialogue, build trust, and resolve issues through peaceful means, on the basis of international law.

Regarding the East Sea issue, many countries expressed concern about the complicated developments taking place in this strategic sea area; supported ASEAN's common principled stance on the East Sea; promoted compliance with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS); and made efforts to build an effective and substantive Code of Conduct (COC) in accordance with international law and the 1982 UNCLOS.

Speaking at the conference, Ambassador Vu Ho highlighted Vietnam's contributions to the ARF cooperation process over the past time as well as discussed and agreed on activities that Vietnam will co-chair in the 2023-2024 mid-term.

Emphasizing that after 30 years of formation and development, participating parties need to conduct a comprehensive review of the ARF cooperation process, thereby discussing and proposing necessary orientations and measures to ensure that the forum can further promote its role in promoting consultation, dialogue, and building trust for peace, stability and common development in the region.

The Ambassador also asked the partner countries to respect ASEAN's central role as well as the values and principles of the forum, and to take advantage of the mechanism to resolve differences instead of criticizing and attacking each other. Regarding international and regional issues, Acting Head of SOM Vu Ho shared concerns about regional hotspots as well as emerging non-traditional security challenges such as cyber security, climate change, water security, marine environmental pollution, etc.

The Acting SOM Chief suggested that ARF participants need to harmonize their differences to promote a comprehensive and holistic approach to effectively respond to the above challenges.

Regarding the East Sea, the Ambassador shared concerns about the complicated developments taking place in this sea area, promoted ASEAN's principled stance and requested that partners operating in the East Sea respect these principles, especially upholding international law and the 1982 UNCLOS, and join hands to build the East Sea into a sea of peace, stability, cooperation and development.

According to VNA/Vietnam+

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