ASEAN Expresses Grave Concern Over Continued War In Gaza, Middle East
KUALA LUMPUR, May 27 (Bernama) -- ASEAN member states have expressed grave concern over the continued war in Gaza and the Middle East, according to the Chairman's Statement issued today following the conclusion of the 46th ASEAN Summit.
Highlighting the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza, the leaders of the regional bloc strongly condemned all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, which have resulted in immense number of casualties, particularly innocent women and children.
'We called on all parties to protect civilians and adhere to international law, including international humanitarian and human rights law as well as the Provisional Orders of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2024.
'We commended the efforts of ASEAN member states in delivering humanitarian assistance and called on all ASEAN members and external partners to continue facilitating such aid,' said the statement.
They also affirmed their support for the United Nations (UN) Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) and emphasised the need for full resumption of unimpeded, rapid, safe, and sustained humanitarian access, including through expanded capacity at border crossings and by sea.
ASEAN also urged all concerned parties to pursue meaningful dialogue towards a comprehensive, just and lasting resolution based on the two-state solution, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions.
Meanwhile, they also expressed grave concern over the surge in North Korea's intercontinental ballistic missile testing and ballistic missile launches and the increased tension in the Korean Peninsula, which are a worrisome development that threatens peace and stability in the region.
They urged the country to de-escalate tensions and called on all concerned parties to resume peaceful dialogue, including creating a conducive environment towards the realisation of lasting peace and stability in a denuclearised Korean Peninsula.
'We stressed the importance of continued peaceful dialogue among all parties concerned in order to realise lasting peace and stability in a denuclearised Korean Peninsula,' it said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
Many opportunities for Asean amidst US' tariff tantrum, says Asean-BAC head
HANOI (Bernama-VNA): South-East Asian countries can capitalise on the rollout of tariffs and other US policies by re-evaluating overlooked relations with other trade partners and opening their doors to international students. The statement is according to Tan Sri Nazir Razak, Chairman of the Asean Business Advisory Council (Asean-BAC) - the Asean's business lobby. Vietnam News Agency (VNA) reported, Nazir, who leads the council during Malaysia's Asean Chairmanship in 2025, emphasised the importance of strengthening intra-regional economic ties by boosting trade and investment within the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean). He called for forging closer partnerships with other countries in the world such as China, India, and Japan. The Asean-BAC head also proposed Asean and Japan collaborate in fields such as artificial intelligence and energy, as both have the potential to work together and build capacity in this area. - Bernama-VNA
Malay Mail
an hour ago
- Malay Mail
Money, mining and marine parks: The big issues at UN ocean summit
NICE (France), June 8 — France is hosting world leaders this week to confront what the United Nations calls a global 'emergency' in the oceans — but what is expected, and can the summit make a difference? There is pressure on the UN Ocean Conference starting tomorrow in Nice to show that countries can unite and deliver more than just talk for the world's ailing and neglected seas. Plundered parks Several countries are expected to announce the creation of new marine conservation zones within their national waters, though how protected they really are will come under scrutiny. Some countries impose next to no rules on what is forbidden or permitted in marine zones. France and other EU states, for example, allow bottom trawling, a damaging fishing practice, in protected waters. This means just three per cent of oceans are considered truly safe from exploitation, far short of a global target to place 30 per cent under conservation by 2030. High seas Key to achieving this goal is enacting the high seas treaty, a landmark global pact signed in 2023 to protect marine life in the vast open waters beyond national control. France had pinned success at Nice on delivering the 60 ratifications necessary to bring the treaty into force, saying the conference would be a failure without it. But it could not get the required number, drumming up roughly half ahead of the summit. Those outstanding will be pushed to explain when they intend to do so. People take part in the Blue March (Marche Bleue) on the Promenade des Anglais ahead of the United Nations Ocean Conference (Unoc 3), in the French riviera city of Nice, south-eastern France June 7, 2025. — AFP pic Uncharted waters France will be leading diplomatic efforts in Nice to rope more countries into supporting a moratorium on deep-sea mining, a contentious practice opposed by 33 nations so far. Bolstering those numbers would send a rebuke to US President Donald Trump, who wants to allow seabed mining in international waters despite concerns over how little is understood about life at these depths. But it would also carry weight ahead of a closely watched meeting in July of the International Seabed Authority, which is haggling over global rules to govern the nascent deep-sea mining sector. Actions not words At the summit's close, nations will adopt a pre-agreed political statement that recognises the crisis facing oceans, and the global need to better protect them. Critics slammed the language in the eight-page document as weak or — in the case of fossil fuels — missing altogether, but others cautioned against reading into it too much. 'The end declaration from here isn't really the only output. It's much more important, actually, what governments commit to, and what they come here to say on an individual basis,' said Peter Haugan, policy director at the Institute of Marine Research in Norway. Money matters The conference is not a COP summit or a UN treaty negotiation, and any decisions made between tomorrow and June 13 in Nice are voluntary and not legally binding. But countries will still be expected to put money on the table in Nice to plug a massive shortfall in funding for ocean conservation, said Pauli Merriman at WWF International. 'What we lack — what we still lack — is the ambition, the financing and the delivery needed to close the gap,' she told reporters. 'It's not enough for governments to show up to Nice with good intentions.' — AFP
The Star
2 hours ago
- The Star
Indonesia and EU are close to finalising major trade pact
JAKARTA (Bernama): Indonesia and the European Union are moving closer to finalising a major trade deal, with substantive negotiations on the Indonesia-EU Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IEU-CEPA) nearing completion, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto said. He said the agreement has entered its final phase after nearly a decade of negotiations, with both sides aiming to conclude discussions by the end of June. "This is an important milestone in today's unpredictable global economy and highlights the need for strong international cooperation,' he stated in a statement. Airlangga met with EU Trade and Economic Security Commissioner Maroš Šefčovič in Brussels on Friday. The two sides agreed to resolve remaining issues and finalise a deal encompassing trade, sustainable growth, and environmental standards, with a key breakthrough on the long-contentious sustainability framework. Airlangga also urged the EU to grant preferential access for Indonesian fishery products and welcomed signals of flexibility on deforestation rules for countries with existing trade agreements. Bilateral trade between Indonesia and the EU reached US$30.1 billion in 2024, with Jakarta posting a surplus of US$4.5 billion an increase from US$2.5 billion the previous year. Talks on the IEU-CEPA began in 2016 but have faced delays over regulatory and environmental concerns, with a final deal set to strengthen economic ties between South-East Asia's largest economy and the 27-member bloc. - Bernama
