ASEAN Expresses Grave Concern Over Continued War In Gaza, Middle East
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.
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