MFA Press Statement: Visit by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam to Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, for the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings

Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam attended the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), the 9th Meeting of the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council, and the 12th Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC) on 11 April 2013. These meetings were held in preparation for the forthcoming 22nd ASEAN Summit.

At the AMM, the Foreign Ministers held a Retreat where they discussed key regional and international developments. They reaffirmed the Six-Point Principles on the South China Sea and the need to work actively with China on the way forward for the early conclusion of a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea on the basis of consensus. The Ministers also reiterated the importance of ASEAN unity and centrality in the evolving regional architecture, and ASEAN’s role in promoting regional peace and stability. They reviewed the progress of ASEAN’s efforts to realise its Community-Building goals by 2015.

The Ministers welcomed the accession of the Kingdom of Norway to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, which will take place on the sidelines of the 46th AMM/Post-Ministerial Conferences/20th ASEAN Regional Forum in Bandar Seri Begawan in June 2013.

The 9th APSC Council Meeting reviewed progress in implementing the APSC Blueprint. The APSC Blueprint, adopted in 2009, provides a roadmap to elevate ASEAN’s political and security cooperation to a higher plane.

At the 12th ACC Meeting, the Ministers reviewed progress under the three ASEAN Community pillars, namely political-security community, economic community and socio-cultural community. The Ministers noted the progress of the work of the ACC Working Group, and reiterated their commitment to strengthen the ASEAN Secretariat.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
11 APRIL 2013