The AMM is one of the multi-sectoral meetings being hosted by Laos as per its 2016 ASEAN chairmanship, culminating in the heads-of-government East Asia Summit set for September 6-8 in Vientiane.
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Before the ARF started, concerns were raised that it would be tougher than last year for South Korea to draw a favorable statement given that Laos, the chair of this year’s event, has close ties with the North.
At the earlier meeting, both China’s foreign minister Wang Yi and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry noted they had areas of disagreement, but there were also several areas of increasing cooperation including nuclear non-proliferation, combating terrorism and climate change. The North Korea nuclear issue, along with the THAAD deployment to South Korea and the South China Sea dispute are the main topics expected to be discussed during the forum.
“We have come to realize the importance of cooperation among Eastern and South Eastern Asian nations as well as its positive influence to the world”, Wang said.
Some analysts say North Korea has developed a handful of crude nuclear devices and is working toward building a warhead small enough to mount on a long-range missile capable of reaching the continental U.S. However, South Korean defense officials say the North has neither such a miniaturized warhead nor a functioning intercontinental ballistic missile. “It has made it clear it will attack us, so we need to send a strong message to North Korea”. He added: “We take a position that the rule of law must be upheld”.
Ri also questioned the legitimacy of the United Nations sanctions, saying there is no article in the United Nations charter that says nuclear or missile tests are threats to worldwide peace.
That was especially due to conflicts on issues such as the South China Sea dispute, which was a hot issue at this year’s meeting.
Associated meetings to be hosted in Vientiane include the 17th ASEAN plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (APT), the 6th East Asia Summit (EAS) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, and 23rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) as well as the meeting of the Southeast Asian Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty Commission.
Another key issue contested by participants was the recent landmark ruling on the South China Sea dispute by an global tribunal in The Hague earlier this month, which sided with the Philippines and denied most of Beijing’s claims over the waters. Seoul has especially been careful to remain neutral on the issue.
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The 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM 49) released a joint communiqué in Vientiane, Laos on July 24, showing the ministers’ serious concern over recent and ongoing developments in the East Sea.
