Key takeaways from Asean foreign ministers’ retreat

Free Malaysia Today

Delegates share their take on the regional grouping’s priorities in the coming years.   Read More:  https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2025/01/20/key-takeaways-from-asean-foreign-ministers-retreat/   Laporan Lanjut:  https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2025/01/20/key-takeaways-from-asean-foreign-ministers-retreat/   Free Malaysia Today is an independent, bi-lingual news portal with a focus on Malaysian current affairs.    Subscribe to our channel - http://bit.ly/2Qo08ry   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Check us out at https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com  Follow FMT on Facebook: https://bit.ly/49JJoo5  Follow FMT on Dailymotion: https://bit.ly/2WGITHM  Follow FMT on X: https://bit.ly/48zARSW  Follow FMT on Instagram: https://bit.ly/48Cq76h  Follow FMT on TikTok : https://bit.ly/3uKuQFp  Follow FMT Berita on TikTok: https://bit.ly/48vpnQG  Follow FMT Telegram - https://bit.ly/42VyzMX  Follow FMT LinkedIn - https://bit.ly/42YytEb  Follow FMT Lifestyle on Instagram: https://bit.ly/42WrsUj  Follow FMT on WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/49GMbxW  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------  Download FMT News App:  Google Play – http://bit.ly/2YSuV46  App Store – https://apple.co/2HNH7gZ  Huawei AppGallery - https://bit.ly/2D2OpNP   #FMTNews #Asean #ForeignMinistersRetreat #CodeOfConduct

Transcript

00:00Southeast Asia's top diplomats came from all over the region to participate in the

00:26annual ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Retreat to discuss issues of regional importance.

00:33The two-day retreat in Langkawi buzzed with speculation about ASEAN's next moves, particularly

00:39regarding the long-standing South China Sea dispute.

00:43Despite slow progress, the consensus remains clear – the path forward hinges on fruitful

00:49negotiations and an effective code of conduct.

00:53The retreat welcomed the progress of the negotiations of the code of conduct in the

00:56South China Sea and highlighted the need to continue the momentum to expedite the code

01:03of conduct in the South China Sea negotiations towards an early conclusion and an effective

01:10and substantive COC in accordance with the UNCLOS 1982.

01:16At the same time, we are undertaking the full consultations to negotiate on the COC.

01:23And I think we have been working, we've been negotiating already extensively.

01:27This year there will be more meetings under the COC framework, so we hope to accelerate

01:35the negotiation.

01:38Yet it was the Myanmar crisis that dominated the agenda.

01:42The air was thick with debates and discussions as the bloc grappled with division on how

01:47to address the escalating situation.

01:50While ASEAN promotes a five-point consensus aiming for immediate cessation of violence

01:55and provision of humanitarian aid, some members question its effectiveness and look for other

02:00avenues for solutions.

02:03It has been raised by several ASEAN members that so far the five-point consensus has not

02:09yielded satisfactory results.

02:14And it might be time to revise the means towards that goal.

02:22We think that it might be fruitful to have a more open dialogue with all parties concerned

02:31in Myanmar.

02:33While it was clear that the Myanmar crisis took centre stage, some felt that other issues

02:38should be higher up on ASEAN's priority list.

02:44The region, situated on the ring of fire and vulnerable to natural disasters, grapples

02:49with various challenges, including frequent typhoons and cyclones, exacerbated by the

02:55effects of climate change.

02:57In all countries, large or small, we are affected by climate change, which is really, now it's

03:07a reality and no longer something in the distant future.

03:10So yes, I think it would be also important for ASEAN to focus on this issue as a group.

03:19As the discussions in Langkawi conclude, the real work begins to ensure that ASEAN remains

03:24a relevant and potent force on the global stage.

03:27Hannah Kham, FMT News.

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