MFA Press Statement: Visit by Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam to Phnom Penh, Cambodia for the 21st ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings, 17 November 2012

          Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam attended a series of ministerial meetings in conjunction with the 21st ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings on 17 November 2012.  These meetings were the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM), 8th Meeting of the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Council, and the 11th Meeting of the ASEAN Coordinating Council (ACC). 

          The AMM discussed and reviewed key regional developments and progress in ASEAN’s efforts to realise its Community-Building goals by 2015.  The Ministers also reaffirmed the importance of ASEAN unity and centrality in the evolving regional architecture, and ASEAN’s role in promoting regional peace and stability.

          The 8th APSC Council Meeting reviewed progress in realising the APSC Blueprint as well as cooperation activities carried out by various sectorals under the APSC, such as foreign affairs, law, defence and transnational crime.  The APSC Blueprint, adopted in 2009, provides a roadmap to elevate ASEAN’s political and security cooperation to a higher plane.

          At the 11th ACC Meeting, the Ministers reviewed progress under the three ASEAN Community pillars, namely political-security community, economic community and socio-cultural community, as well as reiterated their commitment to strengthen the ASEAN Secretariat.

          After the meetings, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers attended a signing ceremony on the accession of the Federative Repulic of Brazil to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), where the Ministers signed the Instrument of Extension to allow Brazil to accede to the TAC.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

17 NOVEMBER 2012