ARF 17 boasts for practical outcomes

The 17th ASEAN Regional Forum is held in Hà Nội, July 23, 2010, to discuss security issues and cooperation in the Asia-Pacific region

As usual practice of the Forum, the Ministers exchanged views on international and regional issues of common interest, reviewed the process of cooperation in the past year and mapped out future direction of the Forum for the years to come.

The ARF Participants reiterated their support for ASEAN to continue playing an important role in promoting cooperation and  dialogue for confidence building in the region; stressing the importance of bringing into full play ASEAN’s established mechanisms and instruments for peace and regional stability, namely the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ), Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).

Sharing views on the shaping of the regional architecture, the ARF Participants expressed their support for ASEAN’s centrality; welcomed ASEAN’s efforts in encouraging and promoting deeper engagement of Dialogue Partners in the regional cooperation process, including the participation of Russia and the US in the EAS with appropriate times and arrangements.

On regional situation, the Ministers extended condolences to the Government of the Republic of Korea for the loss of lives in the Cheonan incident; called on all concerned parties to exercise self-restraint and resolve all disputes by peaceful means. They also encouraged the parties to return to the Six-party talks with a view to achieving the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula for its lasting peace and stability.

The Ministers were briefed by Myanmar on recent political developments in the country, including the progress made in the implementation of the Roadmap for Democracy, especially preparations for the upcoming general election in a free, fair, and inclusive manner which would lay the foundation for the long term stability and development of the country. The Participants also extended their support to Myanmar to work with ASEAN and the United Nations in the process of national reconciliation as well as socio-economic social development.

The Ministers stressed the importance of maintaining peace, security and stability in the South China Sea; reaffirmed their support for the effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), towards the eventual conclusion of a Regional Code of Conduct in the South China Sea (COC) in the future. They called on strengthening dialogue, promoting confidence building among concerned parties, as well as resolving disputes by peaceful means in conformity with the spirit of the DOC and recognized principles of international law including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

On future direction of the ARF process, the Ministers reaffirmed that ARF remains the key forum to discuss political and security issues in the region with ASEAN as the driving force, while continuing to be one of the pivotal elements in an evolving regional architecture. The Ministers emphasized the need for ARF to maintain its relevance and become more action-oriented in addressing multi-dimensional challenges, especially the non-traditional security threats that have the direct impact on peace and security in the region such as climate change, disaster, and maritime security.

The ARF Participants agreed and adopted the Hà Nội Plan of Action to Implement the ARF Vision Statement, which, among others, contains policy guidance for the ARF to develop and implement concrete and practical actions toward the year 2020.

The Ministers also adopted the List of 17 activities for the next inter-sessional year 2010-2011. All ARF Participants agreed on the need to further promote cooperation towards preventive diplomacy alongside the conduct of confidence building measures; better improve modalities and strengthen effective ARF’s activities; increase coordination in sharing information and enhance policy transparency, cooperate in dealing with non-traditional security challenges; intensify linkages between Track I and Track II as well as encourage deeper participation of senior defense officials in this Forum.

Accordingly, the Ministers agreed to adopt the ARF Annual Security Outlook Standardized Format (ASO); the Work Plan on Disaster Relief; the Work Plan on Counter-terrorism and Transnational Crime and the Work Plan on Maritime Security; to task senior officials to draft and finalize the ARF Work Plans on Preventive Diplomacy and to work on possible ways to strengthen the ARF Unit as part of the ASEAN Secretariat.

On the conclusion of the 17^th ASEAN Regional Forum, a Chairman’s Statement and outcomes of the Forum were issued.