The meeting was participated in by the foreign affairs ministers from 27 countries, namely the ten ASEAN member states, Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, China, South Korea, North Korea, European Union, India, Japan, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Russia, Sri Lanka, Timor Leste and the United States.
, The ministers at the meeting acknowledged the talks that took place between nuclear envoys from South Korea and North Korea last Friday (July 22) in Bali as positive progress towards peace negotiation in the korean peninsula.
"The ministers expressed hope that the inter-Korean Dialogue will be sustained in the future. They emphasized that the inter-Korean Dialogue is a positive step in the efforts to creating an environment conducive toward the resumption of the Six Party Talks. To this end, the ministers noted that the ARF, where all six members to the Six Party Talks are also participants, could also contribute in forging such conducive atmosphere for the resumption of the Six Party Talks," said the statement.
The ministers reaffirmed that the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula is essential not only for enduring peace and stability in the region but also the integrity of the global nuclear non-proliferation regime.
On the issue of South China Sea dispute, the ministers welcomed the recent finalization and adoption of the Guidelines for the Implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) at the recent ASEAN meeting with China last July 20 in Bali.
The ministers further reaffirmed the importance and continued relevance of the DoC signed in 2002, as a milestone document between ASEAN Member States and China, embodying their collective commitment to promoting peace, stability and mutual trust towards peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea.
The ministers looked forward to the full and effective implementation of the DOC to promote conducive conditions with a view to building confidence and strengthening peace in the South China Sea through, among others, cooperative activities and projects.
The Ministers reaffirmed that it was important to maintain maritime security and safety in the South China Sea to enhance the economic growth and prosperity in the region.
The Ministers called on all parties concerned to demonstrate friendly and cooperative undertakings by continuing to exercise self-restraint, as well as promote confidence-building measures in the South China Sea. They also encouraged the need to move towards the eventual establishment of a regional code of conduct (COC) in the South China Sea as provided in the DOC.
(T.A051/HAJM/H-YH)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
