Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh raises East Sea issue and solutions for Myanmar

The Prime Minister suggested that ASEAN needs to unite and promote a common voice calling for an end to war and conflict and seeking solutions to bring peace on the basis of respect for international law.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh speaks at the 45th ASEAN Summit's Retreat. (Photo: Duong Giang/VNA)

According to the special correspondent of VNA, continuing the working program of the 44th and 45th ASEAN Summits and related Summits in Vientiane, Laos, on October 9, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and leaders of ASEAN countries and Timor Leste had a closed session to discuss international and regional issues of mutual concern.

Countries assessed that the profound changes in the international and regional security environment pose many intertwined opportunities and challenges for ASEAN. Geopolitical tensions, conflicts, and instability are erupting in many places, economic risks are constant, and many other challenges are emerging more and more fiercely such as climate change, natural disasters, cyber security, etc. In addition, new growth drivers open up new potentials and development opportunities for ASEAN as well as cooperation between ASEAN and its partners.

In that context, the leaders of the countries emphasized the strategic significance of promoting connectivity and self-reliance, shared the importance of maintaining solidarity, unity and the central role of ASEAN, and enhancing ASEAN's capacity to confidently seize opportunities and self-reliantly overcome challenges.

Regarding international and regional issues of common concern, the countries agreed to strengthen ASEAN's principled stance on the East Sea, emphasizing the supremacy of international law, and the peaceful settlement of disputes on the basis of international law and the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

The leaders appreciated the efforts of the Lao Chairman and the Chairman's Special Envoy on Myanmar, emphasizing that the Five-Point Consensus is a guiding document for ASEAN's efforts to support Myanmar.

Speaking at the meeting, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh shared his comments and assessments of the current world situation, emphasizing that although peace is the major trend, conflicts and local wars continue, affecting all countries in the world, causing disruptions in supply chains, production chains, and increasing costs of raw materials, energy and transportation.

The Prime Minister also emphasized that ASEAN needs to be more proactive in seizing and exploiting opportunities and growth drivers, promoting digital transformation, green development, responding to climate change, as well as many other emerging potential areas of cooperation.

Sharing about the East Sea issue, the Prime Minister emphasized that disputes over sovereignty over islands in the East Sea must be resolved by peaceful means on the basis of international law, especially UNCLOS 1982, and requested that parties respect the interests and sovereign rights of the countries involved.

The Prime Minister also stressed the need to ensure security, safety, freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, the most important shipping route, accounting for 60% of the world's cargo traffic and affecting all countries, especially those in the region. Accordingly, the Prime Minister suggested that ASEAN member countries unite, strengthen their central role and common stance on the East Sea.

Regarding Myanmar, the Prime Minister highly appreciated the role of the Lao Chair in 2024 and previous rotating Chairs in supporting Myanmar in finding solutions based on the Five-Point Consensus, but the effectiveness of implementation so far has been limited. This reality requires ASEAN to have a new approach.

Expressing his approval of many solutions proposed by countries, the Prime Minister affirmed that the solution for Myanmar must be decided by the people of Myanmar; hoping that relevant parties in Myanmar will dialogue and negotiate to end the conflict, not to affect the people as well as cause security consequences for the region, including transnational crimes, online fraud, etc.

Suggesting that relevant parties in Myanmar work together to find solutions to this issue, the Prime Minister said that ASEAN needs to promote its role as a bridge to create conditions for relevant parties to dialogue and negotiate.

In these efforts, ASEAN needs to strengthen solidarity, unity and promote its central role. These are the values that have made ASEAN successful and prestigious, helping ASEAN overcome difficulties and challenges, becoming the center of peace and cooperation./.

Source