Asia-Pacific Countries Urged to Keep Security Momentum Already Achieved

As an annual series of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) meetings closed Saturday, encouraging signs are in sight in promoting political, security and economic dialogue within the Asia-Pacific region.

Starting with the 33rd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) on July 24, the meetings also include ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and the Republic of Korea), the 7th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and ASEAN meetings with its 10 dialogue partners as a group or separately.

In particular, the first attendance of the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) in the 23-member ARF marked a great achievement of the meetings and a big step forward toward

reconciliation and peace in the region.

"The ministers welcomed the participation for the first time of the DPRK at the 7th ARF Ministerial Meeting in Bangkok," said a Chairman's Statement released at the closing of the 7th ARF on July 27.

On sidelines of the meetings, for the first time in over half a century, the DPRK foreign minister held historical talks with his South Korean, Japanese and U.S. counterparts, which was widely hailed by the meeting participants as well as the local media.

Also during the meetings, Canada announced its formal recognition of DPRK, while New Zealand expressed its intention to establish diplomatic relations with it.

To the expectation of political observers, many participants voiced deep concerns about the threat of the U.S. Theater Missile Defense (TMD) and National Missile Defense (NMD) systems posed to international peace and stability.

During the meetings, Chinese Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan reiterated China's firm opposition to TMD and NMD, saying the issue "with endless disasters" is not between the U.S. and China only, but rather between the U.S. and the world.

On behalf of all ASEAN members, Thai foreign minister Surin Pitsuwan also expressed the grouping's worry toward this kind of "military buildup."

However, progresses were seen in the discussions about other security issues such as the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone, situations in East Timor, plans for a drug-free ASEAN in 2015.

Social problems consist another important aspect of the region security, participants noted.

They agreed that poverty, social and economic deprivation, transnational crime, trafficking of women and children, drug trafficking, "digital divide," diseases and other social challenges are undermining human security and threatening the well-being of society of the region.

In this regard, they called for a greater cooperation within ASEAN and with its 10 dialogue partners to push forward a human agenda, and develop the region in a more comprehensive way.

Globalization is also considered as an important factor affecting the stability and security of the region, which is recovering from the financial crisis which, started three years ago, also has brought the ASEAN and East Asian countries more closer in a common wish to create a more stable and prosperous Asia-Pacific region.

During the meetings, ASEAN held talks with China, Japan and the Republic of Korea as a whole and separately, which yielded agreements to enhance cooperation in various fields, such as human resource development, the sub-Mekong region development plan, finance cooperation, among others.

The ASEAN meetings also witnessed advances in cooperation between the region and the outside world. Along with the meetings, Laos and Cambodia were accepted to a cooperation agreement between ASEAN and the European Union, a positive sign for closer region-to-region ties.

While stressing that the overall security outlook for the Asia-Pacific region remains positive, uncertainties and challenges require enhanced dialogues among countries in the region so as to keep the momentum already achieved, the participants said.



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