The 45th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM), to take place on Monday, 9 July 2012, at the Peace Palace in Phnom Penh, and the series of meetings around it, will see several major instruments on peace and security being signed with the region’s Dialogue Partners and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) . Apart from the AMM, the Post-Ministerial Conferences/19th ASEAN Regional Forum and the 2nd East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers Meeting would also be held.
Top on the list are the instruments for the accession of the European Union to one of the region’s foremost instruments on peace and security, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. As a testament of the importance of the TAC governing inter-state relations in the region, the United Kingdom, which is a non-Dialogue Partner of ASEAN would also be acceding to the TAC.
Other legal instruments being signed during the series of meetings include Protocol of the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ Treaty) by China, the French Republic, Russia, the UK and the US. Through this Protocol, these five Nuclear Weapon States, undertake to respect the Treaty, and not to contribute to any act which constitutes a violation of the Treaty or its Protocol. The SEANWFZ Treaty is an important legal instrument in ASEAN efforts to contribute towards a nuclear free region and the signing of the Protocol to the SEANWFZ Treaty reaffirms the support and recognition of the Treaty by the NWS.
Top on the list are the instruments for the accession of the European Union to one of the region’s foremost instruments on peace and security, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia. As a testament of the importance of the TAC governing inter-state relations in the region, the United Kingdom, which is a non-Dialogue Partner of ASEAN would also be acceding to the TAC.
Other legal instruments being signed during the series of meetings include Protocol of the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ Treaty) by China, the French Republic, Russia, the UK and the US. Through this Protocol, these five Nuclear Weapon States, undertake to respect the Treaty, and not to contribute to any act which constitutes a violation of the Treaty or its Protocol. The SEANWFZ Treaty is an important legal instrument in ASEAN efforts to contribute towards a nuclear free region and the signing of the Protocol to the SEANWFZ Treaty reaffirms the support and recognition of the Treaty by the NWS.
The discussions at the AMM are expected to focus on the issues to be followed-up from the 20th ASEAN Summit. The Meeting would also prepare for the series of meetings that the ASEAN Foreign Ministers would be having with ASEAN Dialogue Partners in the area of development cooperation and enhancing relations.
The Ministers would also be having a retreat session during the AMM in which they will exchange views on regional and international issues. Another important issue that the Ministers will discuss is the implementation of the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea.
A Joint Communique will be adopted at the end of the Meeting.
The 45th AMM/PMC/19TH ARF/2ND EAS Foreign Ministers Meeting will be be officially opened by Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo HUN SEN, the Prime Minister of Cambodia on 9 July and conclude on 13th July.