ASEA Foreign Ministers discuss Middle East situation

The Vietnamese diplomat made the above statement on March 13 while addressing a special online meeting with other ASEAN Foreign Ministers to discuss the situation in the Middle East.

Le shared ASEAN's common stance on the conflict in the Middle East, opposing the use of force and emphasizing the principles of respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, adherence to international law and the United Nations (UN) Charter, and the peaceful settlement of differences, as well as the obligation of all parties to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure.

He highlighted the spirit of solidarity and unity, calling on the bloc to further strengthen its cohesion, uphold a culture of dialogue, resolve differences peacefully, and comply with international law, the UN Charter, as well as the shared principles and norms set out in the ASEAN Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).

Le called on ASEAN to enhance coordination, maintain a unified stance, and uphold international law and multilateralism.

Regarding economic cooperation, the diplomat underlined that resilience and sustainability are key factors.

ASEAN should double efforts to effectively implement agreed commitments and measures, strengthen intra-regional economic integration, enhance infrastructure connectivity, and ensure energy security, proposed the diplomat.

He emphasized the need to speed up major energy cooperation projects such as the ASEAN Power Grid and the Trans-ASEAN Gas Pipeline, as well as reviewing and willing to activate emergency support mechanisms under the ASEAN Petroleum Security Agreement.

The minister stressed that ASEAN countries should maintain and prioritize energy supplies, particularly oil and gas while effectively leveraging cooperation agreements with partners, including the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, to diversify energy supply sources.

In terms of citizen protection, he proposed that countries continue to closely coordinate and support one another's citizens in the Middle East./.