ASEAN Senior Officials Meetings Reiterate Bloc's Stand For A Nuclear Weapon Free Region
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a series of significant ASEAN Senior Officials' Meetings (SOM) and Related Meetings in Kuala Lumpur, underscoring Malaysia's active role in fostering regional cooperation and integration.
The agenda comprised of three crucial senior official-level gatherings: the ASEAN Senior Officials' Meeting, the Meeting of the Executive Committee of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ ExCom), and the 18th ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group on Timor-Leste's Application for ASEAN Membership (ACCWG-TL).
Discussions at the ASEAN SOM Meeting centered on strengthening ASEAN Community building, with a key focus on the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, slated for adoption at the 46th ASEAN Summit on 26 May 2025. The SOM also commended the High-Level Task Force for their successful development and finalisation of this crucial vision and its supporting strategic plans across political security, economic, socio-cultural, and connectivity domains. Progress on the Roadmap for Timor-Leste's Full Membership in ASEAN, applications from external parties to accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), and ASEAN's external relations were also key topics of deliberation.
As for the SEANWFZ ExCom meeting, it concentrated on ASEAN's ongoing efforts to promote global disarmament and non-proliferation. A significant focus remained on achieving the long-held objective of securing the accession of Nuclear Weapon States to the SEANWFZ Protocol, a move that would bolster the Treaty's legal standing and reinforce ASEAN's leadership in advocating for a nuclear-weapon-free region.
While the ACCWG-TL meeting addressed ASEAN's continued commitment to advancing Timor-Leste's full membership in the regional bloc. Discussions involved a review of the progress in implementing the Roadmap for Timor-Leste's accession, strengthening capacity-building initiatives for Timor-Leste officials, and the establishment of the Timor-Leste Unit within the ASEAN Secretariat. Malaysia reiterated its dedication to collaborating closely with ASEAN Member States and Timor-Leste to expedite the accession process, fostering greater regional unity and integration.
In a statement released following the meetings, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs emphasised that all discussions were driven by a commitment to ensuring comprehensive and forward-looking approaches for a more prosperous, peaceful, and secure ASEAN region, reflecting the bloc's collaborative spirit in addressing shared interests. Related
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