The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (AMM Retreat) was wrapped up this afternoon outlining the bloc cooperation, boosting regional tourism development, strengthening ASEAN Centrality, and expanding mutual partnership with other countries.
Representatives from participating countries congratulated Cambodia on successfully accomplishing its tenure as ASEAN Chair 2022, including leading the bloc in maintaining dialogues and timely and effective response to unprecedented challenges.
They agreed to effectively realise reached priorities, initiatives and cooperation programmes, including the acceleration of the ASEAN Community Building in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
They also emphasised the importance to work on tourism sector and open up border to tourists in the region.
Speaking at the press conference following the AMM Retreat, H.E. Prak Sokhonn, Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Chair of the AMM Retreat said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere.
The Retreat held in physical format was more effective in talking and discussing on specific topics, he said.
On the community building, H.E. Deputy Prime Minister suggested the nations completed the review of the implementation of the ASEAN Charter and ASEAN Community Vision 2025.
The group also discussed the Korean Peninsula issue. “We agree that all concerned parties should resume peaceful dialogue and continue working constructively for the stability in the Korean Peninsula,” H.E. Prak Sokhonn said.
Regarding the Myanmar crisis, the Cambodian top diplomat affirmed that ASEAN Foreign Ministers called on the Myanmar authorities to take concrete action to expedite full implementation of the ceasefire agreement and urged all parties to engage in constructive dialogue to find solutions, particularly to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian assistance to those most in need.
For the South China Sea issue, ASEAN Foreign Ministers underscored the importance of an effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and encouraged the early conclusion of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) that is consistent with international laws.
The Retreat, held in hybrid format, was the first major meeting under the Kingdom of Cambodia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN in 2022, under theme "ASEAN A.C.T.: Addressing Challenges Together".
ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
Source: Agency Kampuchea Press