Senior officials conclude document discussion for ASEAN meetings

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) senior officials meeting concluded here on Saturday afternoon, agreeing to put forward a number of documents for their foreign ministers to discuss and make decision in various meetings next week.

Speaking in a press briefing after the two-day meeting at the Phnom Penh's Peace Palace, Soeung Rathchavy, secretary of state at Cambodia's Foreign Ministry, said that the meeting was a preparatory one for the 45th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' meeting, Post Ministerial Conference, the 19th ASEAN Regional Forum, and the 2nd East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' meeting, which will kick off from July 9-13.

The meeting focused on the progress of ASEAN Community-building such as the draft Terms of Reference of the ASEAN Institute of Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR), draft ASEAN Human Rights Declaration and the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of the Parties to the South China Sea.

The officials also talked over the relevant instruments for the accession of the European Union and the United Kingdom to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, she said.

They also discussed the preparation for the signing on the protocol to the treaty of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) by the five recognized nuclear weapon states, and the implementation of the ASEAN Drug Free Zone in 2015 and the preparation for the 15th Anniversary of the ASEAN+3 Cooperation.

As for the issue of South China Sea, Soeung Rathchavy said that the senior officials had concluded the drafting of key elements for formulating the regional Code of Conduct (COC).

"Now, we, ASEAN, are ready to negotiate with China on the South China Sea issue and China is also ready to talk with ASEAN on the issue," she said.

She said the meeting was concluded successfully with fruitful results. "All documents will be submitted to ASEAN Foreign Ministers for making final decision."

The ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.-The Philippine Star (July 08, 2012)