(VOVworld) – Officials at the ASEAN Defense Senior Officials’ Meeting Plus (ADSOM+), which began on Sunday in Vientiane, Laos, expressed concern over rising tensions in the East Sea.

The ASEAN Defense Senior Officials’ Meeting Plus (ADSOM+) in Vientiane, Laos . (Photo: VNA)

The issue was discussed by ASEAN senior Defense officials and their counterparts from Japan, South Korea, Australia, India, New Zealand, Russia, and the United States. Amy E. Searigh, US Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, said: “You know we call on all nations to exercise restraint and to manage and resolve disputes peacefully through diplomatic and legal means, and not resort to coercion, use of force, or try to change the facts on the ground. When President Obama met with all the Asian leaders at Sunnylands earlier this year, all countries promised restraint and not to further militarize outposts or engage in further land reclamation and other activities. We stand with ASEAN in supporting those principles”. 

ADSOM+ delegates shared their views on security issues, particularly regional terrorism, nuclear development on the Korean peninsula, and sovereignty disputes in the East Sea. Major General Vu Tien Trong, Director of the National Defense Ministry's Institute for International Relations, said: "Vietnam shares the concerns of other countries and we think that the dispute is an objective fact rooted in the history. We suggest that the dispute must be resolved by bilateral measures, in a peaceful manner, and by agreements approved by both countries. The multilateral issues must be solved by multilateral measures and must be transparent to the international community under international laws, particularly UNCLOS 1982 and regional commitments.

Delegates underlined the importance of freedom of navigation to trading and commerce, so each side must follow current principles and maintain dialogues. All disputes must be resolved by dialogues.