ASEAN Remains Indispensable Platform For Regional Peace, Stability: Cambodian FM
PHNOM PENH, Aug 7 (Bernama-Xinhua) -- Cambodian Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister Prak Sokhonn said on Friday that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) remains an indispensable platform for regional peace and stability, guided by its Charter and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC), reported Xinhua.
“For nearly six decades, ASEAN has helped transform Southeast Asia from a region marked by division and uncertainty into one increasingly defined by dialogue, cooperation, and shared prosperity,” he said in an official message marking ASEAN's 59th anniversary.
However, he said that the region faces a far more volatile global climate, with resurging armed conflicts, intensifying geopolitical tensions, and mounting strain on international law and multilateralism.
“In this uncertain environment, ASEAN cannot afford to be passive. We must not merely respond to change; we must help shape it,” he said, emphasising that ASEAN's unity and centrality remain critical to navigating modern geopolitical headwinds.
Sokhonn, who is also a deputy prime minister, affirmed that Cambodia is proud of its contributions to the region since joining the bloc in 1999.
He reiterated Cambodia's firm commitment to strengthening ASEAN's unity, resilience and global relevance while strictly upholding the ASEAN Charter and the TAC in both principle and practice.
Founded on Aug. 8, 1967, ASEAN currently comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Timor-Leste.
-- BERNAMA-XINHUA
