Peace does not "fall from the sky", ASEAN must strive to maintain it

Baoquocte.vn. "ASEAN plays a very important role in maintaining peace and stability in the region. Can you imagine what Southeast Asia would be like without ASEAN?", the Indonesian Foreign Minister emphasized.

ASEAN cần giữ vai trò đảm bảo hòa bình trong khu vực

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Masurdi affirmed that ASEAN plays an important role in regional peace and security. (Source: Jakarta Post)

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 7th ASEAN Media Forum earlier this week, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Masurdi emphasized that ASEAN is not a perfect association but ASEAN has played a very important role in maintaining peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

“We should be grateful that we have been fortunate to have peace and stability in the region for more than five decades. I think we will never take peace for granted. Peace does not fall from the sky. We really have to maintain it. And we, ASEAN, need to work hard to maintain it,” Foreign Minister Retno Masurdi stressed.

Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said that the current unstable world situation, especially the Palestine-Israel conflict, has shown the need to maintain peace in the region. The Indonesian Foreign Minister further emphasized that the world situation is “unstable” as competition between major powers is increasingly fierce, food and energy crises and conflicts continue. Therefore, ASEAN’s role in maintaining peace and stability is very important.

"ASEAN plays a very important role in maintaining peace and stability in the region. Can you imagine what Southeast Asia would be like without ASEAN?", the Indonesian foreign minister asked hypothetically.

According to the Indonesian Foreign Minister, like other regional and multilateral organizations, ASEAN also has its imperfections. “But one thing is certain: ASEAN has contributed significantly to peace, stability and prosperity in the region,” Ms. Retno affirmed.

The Indonesian Foreign Minister also acknowledged that there are still issues within ASEAN regarding Myanmar. As ASEAN Chair in 2023, Indonesia has been working to address these challenges in a flexible manner to address not only current issues but also future risks.

Despite limited progress in implementing the Five-Point Consensus over the past year, ASEAN has made efforts to engage in more dialogue with stakeholders in Myanmar, ensuring expanded access to humanitarian assistance, including in conflict areas, with a focus on the people of Myanmar.

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