We will continue the communication with each other, but I emphasize that we have a very strong political will to maintain Southeast Asia as a nuclear-free regionJakarta (ANTARA) - The ASEAN has a strong political will to continue to make Southeast Asia a nuclear-free region, according to Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi.
"We will continue the communication with each other, but I emphasize that we have a very strong political will to maintain Southeast Asia as a nuclear-free region," Marsudi noted on the sidelines of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) here on Tuesday.
Indonesia is chairing the 2023 ASEAN Chairmanship, wherein it advances the importance of ASEAN centrality in facing global challenges and intensifying cooperation among member countries in the fields of economy, security, and development.
On Tuesday, Marsudi led the Commission of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) meeting.
The meeting discussed several matters, including the advancement of the signing of the Treaty of Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ Treaty), or known as the Treaty of Bangkok, signed in 1995 by all ASEAN countries.
The treaty stipulates that its signatories cannot "develop, manufacture or otherwise acquire, possess or have control over nuclear weapons," "station or transport nuclear weapons by any means," or "test or use nuclear weapons."
The SEANWFZ Treaty is also open to be signed by the five nuclear-weapon states: China, Russia, the US, the UK, and France.
However, 28 years after the SEANWFZ Treaty signing, only China has expressed readiness to its willingness to sign the protocol, although until now, there have been no follow-ups on it.
Other countries expressed their objection to some parts of the SEANWFZ Treaty.
"We will deploy our negotiators to examine the (treaty body) again because there are some objections to some of the sentences," Marsudi stated.
Earlier, in May, at the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo, East Nusa Tenggara, ASEAN member states said they are still discussing with nuclear-weapon states to move forward on the ratification of the SEANWFZ protocols without condition.
"The region has enjoyed peace, stability, and prosperity for more than five decades," Marsudi stated.
"We cannot take this for granted. Peace does not fall from the sky," she remarked.
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Translator: Shofi A, Kenzu T
Editor: Sri Haryati
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