MFA Press Statement: 46th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, 14th ASEAN Plus Three Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and ASEAN-China Post Ministerial Conference, 30 June 2013

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam, accompanied by Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office, Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources and Second Minister for Foreign Affairs Grace Fu, attended the 46th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), the 14th ASEAN Plus Three (APT) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and the ASEAN-China Post Ministerial Conference in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam on 30 June 2013.

At the 46th AMM, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers reviewed the progress made towards ASEAN Community-building goals of 2015, discussed the post-2015 evolution of ASEAN and the role of ASEAN in the regional architecture. Among the regional challenges highlighted was the trans-boundary haze, which Ministers recognised was a recurring challenge for ASEAN and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthen regional cooperation to mitigate the haze impacts. The Ministers’ discussions were reflected in the Joint Communiqué of the 46th AMM, which was adopted by acclamation.

At the 14th APT Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers warmly welcomed the Foreign Ministers of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Japan and the Republic of Korea (ROK) who were attending the APT Foreign Minister’s Meeting for the first time. The APT Foreign Ministers noted that the APT process had developed into an important vehicle for regional cooperation. At the ASEAN-China Post Ministerial Conference, both sides reaffirmed the multi-faceted nature of ASEAN-China relations and welcomed preparations to mark the 10th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership this year. ASEAN welcomed China’s proposal to upgrade the ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement. On the South China Sea (SCS) issue, the Foreign Ministers also welcomed the commencement of official consultations on a Code of Conduct (COC) in the SCS at the 6th Senior Officials’ Meeting on the Implementation of the Declaration of Conduct of the Parties in the SCS to be held in China in September 2013.

Minister Shanmugam and Minister Fu had bilateral meetings with their counterparts from the PRC, the ROK, Norway and Brunei. The Ministers reaffirmed the excellent state of bilateral relations and the importance of ASEAN-China relations with PRC Foreign Minister Wang Yi. Minister Fu and the ROK Minister for Foreign Affairs Yun Byung-se exchanged views on economic restructuring policy and regional developments, including the situation in the Korean Peninsula. The Ministers and Norway Minister for Foreign Affairs Espen Barth Eide exchanged views on regional and international developments. The Ministers welcomed Norway’s accession to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), which will take place on 1 July 2013. Minister Fu and Brunei Second Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Pehin Lim Jock Seng reaffirmed the excellent state of bilateral relations and Minister Fu congratulated Brunei on its steady Chairmanship and thanked Minister Lim for Brunei’s generous hospitality to the Singapore delegation.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
30 JUNE 2013