(VOVWORLD) - Meetings of ASEAN Foreign Ministers, and political counterparts from Australia and the US took place on Friday within the framework of the 51st ASEAN Ministers’ Meeting in Singapore.
 Flags of ASEAN and its member countries.
|
The ASEAN-Australian Foreign Ministers’ Meeting affirmed the good bilateral relationship between the nations, looking towards the celebration of 45 years of diplomatic ties in 2019. The Ministers recalled the Sydney Declaration and commitments at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit in March to enhance cooperation in politics, security, economics, culture, and people exchange.
ASEAN and US Foreign Ministers affirmed the importance of strategic partnerships, and made positive assessments on political-security, the economy, and cultural-social cooperation. The US appreciated ASEAN-China’s negotiation on the Code of Conduct of Parties in the East Sea with respect to international law, including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The US remains steadfast in its support for peaceful solutions for East Sea disputes based on international law, the importance of freedom of navigation and aviation in the East Sea, respecting national sovereignty, and non-militarization of the region.