Jakarta, The Indonesia Post – Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi revealed that there were many requests from countries that expressed interest in becoming partners with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
“ASEAN accepts requests from other countries, both to access the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) and to become ASEAN partners,” Retno said before the ASEAN foreign ministers at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat (AMM) in Jakarta, Saturday .
According to her, the increasing number of requests from a number of countries to establish partnerships with ASEAN emphasizes ASEAN’s important role as an influential organization in the region and globally.
The request also shows that ASEAN has the power to resolve problems by deliberation.
This trust from the international community, continued Retno, must be utilized by ASEAN to continue its role as an anchor for regional stability and peace by building an inclusive and open regional architecture.
She mentioned several approaches taken to create a peaceful region, namely by building trust rather than mutual suspicion, prioritizing involvement rather than exclusion, and an open spirit of cooperation instead of competition and rivalry.
On this occasion, Foreign Minister Retno also emphasized that the ASEAN Outlook on Indo-Pacific (AOIP), which was agreed in 2019, will become the regional organization’s guideline for responding to various challenges and maintaining stability in the region.
The AOIP principles show that ASEAN will not side with any big country in order to maintain peace in the Indo-Pacific region, which includes the Asia Pacific and Indian Ocean.
ASEAN has currently established several external partnerships, both with dialogue partner countries and other regional and international organizations.
ASEAN dialogue partners are countries and regional or international organizations that are ASEAN cooperation partners in various fields.
Currently, ASEAN has 11 dialogue partners, namely the United States, Australia, India, Japan, Canada, South Korea, Russia, New Zealand, China, the European Union (EU) and the United Nations (UN).
ASEAN also has relations with sector dialogue partners, namely with Pakistan, Norway, Switzerland and Turkey as well as development dialogue partners with Germany.
Apart from going through the ASEAN+1 cooperation mechanism with each dialogue partner, ASEAN establishes cooperation through mechanisms such as the ASEAN Plus Three (APT) with Japan, South Korea and China; East Asia Summit (EAS) with 18 participating countries; and the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) with 27 participating countries. (mhn/bbs)
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