No South China Sea Discussion in ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting's Agenda

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Director of ASEAN Cooperation of the Foreign Ministry Sidharta R. Suryodiputro said that there will be no special agenda to discuss the South China Sea in the ASEAN Senior Officials Meeting.

"There is no special agenda for the South China Sea, but Indonesia as the [ASEAN] chair, understands that there are ASEAN members who are going to discuss the issue in a higher level of meetings," said Sidharto during a press conference in Jakarta, on Sunday evening, September 3, 2023.

Sidharta mentioned that several members of ASEAN plan to discuss the South China Sea issue separately from the Senior Officials Meeting, such as the ministerial meeting or the summit.

"This issue has to be observed continuously, it is possible for [the foreign ministers and state leaders] to give their statement [on the South China Sea issue] to the media," Sidharto concluded.

Previously, in the joint communique of the 56th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting, the bloc emphasized the necessity of maintaining and promoting a conducive situation for the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea negotiation process.

The joint communique also welcomed practical steps to reduce tension and risks or incidents, misunderstanding, and miscalculation in the region.

ASEAN also stressed the importance of maintaining and promoting peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation in the South China Sea and recognized the area's role as the sea of peace, stability, and prosperity.

ANTARA

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