Joint Statement of ASEAN and Russia Foreign Ministers Commemorating the 20th Anniversary of Russia’s Accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC)
As we said when the latest SCO meeting took place, we know too little about these new organizations that work for multilateralism and multipolarity organized on principles of a web or a matrix of interconnected interests, commonly called a multinodal system. As earth citizens we have a great hope that our world can be restructured into a peaceful abode for humanity. Here is ASEAN and let us get au fait with this organization as well. We have this joint statement but we also have a pledge from the Chinese Foreign Minister.
These are the only organizations that talk peace. That little speck on the map that is the collective west, talk war, because this is all they know and they are not very good at it.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang pledges to work with Russia on East Asian peace
Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi said China and Russia should maintain communication and coordination on East Asian cooperation to promote regional peace and stability amid international turbulence.
Wang met with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov during an ASEAN summit in Laos on Thursday.
In his meeting with Lavrov, Wang said in the face of a turbulent international situation and external interference and resistance, “China is ready to work with Russia to firmly support each other and safeguard each other’s core interests,” according to a statement from China’s foreign ministry.
WE, the Member States of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Russian Federation, met in Vientiane, Lao PDR for the ASEAN Post Ministerial Conference (PMC) 10+1 Session on 26 July 2024;
APPRECIATING that 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of Russia’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), since it acceded to the TAC in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on 29 November 2004;
RECOGNISING the continuing importance, relevance and positive contribution of the TAC to sustaining peace and stability in the Southeast Asian region for almost 50 years, consistent with the spirit and principles of the Charter of the United Nations (UN Charter), the ASEAN Charter, and Declaration of the East Asia Summit on the Principles for Mutually Beneficial Relations;
EMPHASISING our commitment to the following fundamental principles of the TAC: mutual respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity and national identity of all nations; the right of every State to lead its national existence free from external interference, subversion or coercion; non-interference in the internal affairs of one another; settlement of differences or disputes by peaceful means; renunciation of the threat or use of force; and effective cooperation;
HIGHLIGHTING the importance of the principles of international law and the UN Charter, including self-determination, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and the renunciation of the threat of use of force or use of force;
RECOGNISING challenges presented by the rapidly changing global and regional geopolitical and geo-economic landscapes and the need to address these challenges through cooperative and peaceful means;
RECOGNISING that ASEAN and ASEAN-led mechanisms remain inclusive and open avenues that facilitate constructive dialogue and concrete cooperation, thereby contributing to the development of the evolving regional architecture in line with the ASEAN Charter and the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP);
REAFFIRMING our commitment to upholding multilateralism, while noting ASEAN’s rising global relevance and unique convening power amid the emerging multipolar global architecture, the central role of the United Nations, the purposes and principles enshrined in the UN Charter and respect for international law;
ACKNOWLEDGING that ASEAN-Russia relations over the past 30 years have developed into a mutually beneficial strategic partnership underpinned by progressive and comprehensive dialogue and cooperation and Russia’s accession to TAC strengthened its contribution to peace, stability, and sustainable development in the Asia Pacific region;
REAFFIRMING the commitment to advance ASEAN-Russia Strategic Partnership guided by the Joint Declaration of the Heads of State/Government of the Member Countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Head of State of the Russian Federation on Progressive and Comprehensive Partnership adopted at the 1st ASEAN-Russia Summit in 2005, the Joint Statement of the 3rd ASEAN-Russia Summit on Strategic Partnership adopted in 2018, the Joint Statement of the 4th ASEAN-Russia Summit: Building a Peaceful, Stable and Sustainable Region adopted in 2021, as well as Comprehensive Plan of Action to Implement the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Russian Federation Strategic Partnership (2021-2025);
APPRECIATING significant contribution of the ASEAN-Russia relations to the ASEAN integration and Community building process across the three pillars in political and security, economic and socio-cultural spheres;
RECOGNISING that amity and cooperation are crucial to achieving sustained peace, security, stability, and prosperity for the people in the region;
WE HEREBY:
Reaffirm the significance and essential role of the TAC as the key code of conduct in governing inter-state relations in the region and as a foundation for maintaining regional peace and stability and emphasised the importance to fulfil obligations under the TAC;
Acknowledge the importance of ASEAN Centrality and unity in the evolving regional architecture in the Asia-Pacific built upon ASEAN-led mechanisms with ASEAN as the driving force, and based on international law and the principles of openness, transparency, inclusivity, mutual respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, equality, trust and mutual benefit;
Support ASEAN’s continuous efforts on the mainstreaming and implementation of the AOIP, and advance cooperation in the AOIP’s four priority areas, namely maritime cooperation, connectivity, UN Sustainable Development Goals 2030, as well as economic;
Deepen cooperation between ASEAN and Russia within the relevant ASEAN-led mechanisms, in particular the East Asia Summit (EAS), ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus), as well as platforms such as Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum (EAMF) through active, inclusive, full, equal, effective and constructive participation with a view to enhancing ASEAN Centrality and the effectiveness of these mechanisms;
Welcome the successful convening of the Conference of the High Contracting Parties (HCPs) to the TAC: Reflections and Future Direction on 26 June 2024 at the ASEAN Headquarters/ASEAN Secretariat, bringing together 47 out of 54 HCPs to the TAC for the first time at the ambassadorial level. The Conference was timely to reaffirm the commitment of the HCPs to the principles and values of the TAC. The Conference also served as an avenue for dialogue among the HCPs to discuss the implementation of the TAC and future strategies to enhance relevance and visibility of the Treaty in the region and beyond, and explore cooperation between ASEAN and other HCPs under the TAC, towards the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the signing of the TAC in 2026;
Continue ASEAN-Russia high level dialogue, including discussions on the developments in the Asia-Pacific region;
Promote cooperation in the political-security, economic, social, technical, scientific and administrative fields, as well as other areas of cooperation where ASEAN and Russia have relevant expertise and mutual interests, including maritime cooperation and the ASEAN-Russia Dialogue on ICT-security Related Issues;
Take further joint measures to strengthen ASEAN and Russia’s cooperation in all ASEAN Community pillars and with that aim to develop the Comprehensive Plan of Action to Implement ASEAN-Russia Strategic Partnership for 2026-2030 and its successor documents;
Advance constructive cooperation at the United Nations and its various specialised agencies;
Promote possible practical cooperation on issues of mutual interest between ASEAN and the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) based on Memorandum of Understanding between the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Eurasian Economic Commission on Economic Cooperation signed in 2018, and ASEAN and the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) based on Memorandum of Understanding between the Secretariat of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and the Secretariat of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization signed in 2005, which could contribute to cross-regional cooperation;
ADOPTED in Vientiane, Lao PDR, on the Twenty-Six of July in the Year Two Thousand and Twenty-Four.