He made the statement at the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Commission Meeting, which was held on the sidelines of the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting/Post-Ministerial Conferences (AMM/PMC) at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Center on Tuesday.
“We are facing an alarming global disarmament landscape. Arms control efforts have stagnated, nuclear stockpiles are increasing, and nuclear-armed states’ commitments to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) are weakening,” Sugiono said, accordimg to a statement released by his ministry in Jakarta.
He cited the recent attacks on Iran’s nuclear facilities—under the supervision of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)—as a violation of international law and a serious threat to global stability.
In this context, Sugiono stressed that SEANWFZ is not merely a political symbol but a concrete mechanism for maintaining peace in the region.
He also welcomed China’s stated readiness to sign the SEANWFZ Protocol without reservation and urged ASEAN to accelerate the finalization of related technical documents and memoranda of understanding, including the development of a time-bound work plan.
“China’s accession would mark a major milestone, paving the way for other nuclear-armed states to follow suit,” he said.
On the subject of Timor-Leste, Sugiono conveyed Indonesia’s full support for the country’s accession to the SEANWFZ Treaty and expressed hope that the signing would take place during the upcoming 47th ASEAN Summit.
“Timor-Leste’s accession would expand the treaty’s geographic scope and political weight,” he noted.
Indonesia also called for enhanced synergy among nuclear weapon-free zones globally at the meeting. Sugiono said that cross-regional collaboration would amplify collective efforts to promote global disarmament and reinforce non-proliferation norms.
During the SEANWFZ Commission meeting, ASEAN foreign ministers agreed to encourage the signing and ratification of the SEANWFZ Protocol by nuclear-weapon states.
They also welcomed Timor-Leste’s plan to join the treaty in October 2025 and proposed a biennial resolution on the SEANWFZ Treaty at the upcoming 80th UN General Assembly.
The SEANWFZ Commission remains a critical ASEAN mechanism for ensuring that Southeast Asia stays free from nuclear threats, in line with the region’s aspirations for lasting peace and stability.
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Translator: Kuntum, Azis Kurmala
Editor: M Razi Rahman
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