The following is the outcomes of the virtual meeting between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and G7 Foreign and Development Ministers, released this morning by Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation:
“Outcomes of the Meeting Between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and
G7 Foreign and Development Ministers in Liverpool, the United Kingdom
On 12 December 2021, at the invitation of the Rt. Hon. Elizabeth Truss, MP, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, and Minister for Women and Equalities, of the United Kingdom, His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister PRAK Sokhonn, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Kingdom of Cambodia, attended via videoconference the meeting between the ASEAN Foreign Ministers and G7 Foreign and Development Ministers, convened in Liverpool, the United Kingdom.
The meeting underscored the need to advance stronger ties and cooperation between ASEAN and the G7 for mutual interest of the people, for peace, and shared prosperity. Several areas of cooperation were discussed, specifically how to expedite enhanced vaccine access and promotion of global health security, digital technology, infrastructure investment, addressing climate change related issue, expansion of trade, regional security, including in the maritime domain. In general, ASEAN Foreign Ministers called for promotion of cooperation and partnerships in line with the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific and four cooperation areas therein.
His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the importance of ASEAN’s spirit as a united family of ten which is the inspiration of the ASEAN 2022 Chairmanship theme “ASEAN A.C.T: Addressing Challenges Together”. He touched on Cambodia’s key priorities and deliverables for ASEAN Community building process, next year and immediate attention on engendering a peaceful process to resolve Myanmar crisis, which should be Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led. He informed the Meeting on Samdech Techo Prime Minister Hun Sen’s plan to visit Myanmar in early January to pave the way for progress on the ASEAN Five-point consensus. He underlined that Cambodia’s top agenda is creating conducive environment for inclusive dialogue and political trust among all parties concerned, achieving common ground on a process towards ending violence and obtaining concurrence among relevant stakeholders on expediting humanitarian relief to reach those most in need.
On infrastructure development, His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister noted that together ASEAN and the G7 have built up good momentum on many connectivity initiatives, one of the latest examples being the conclusion of the ASEAN-EU Comprehensive Air Transport Agreement. He also stressed that all the projects ASEAN is working on with some dialogue partners from the G-7 are areas of possible synergies with the Master Plan on ASEAN Connectivity (MPAC) 2025.
On security, His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister reiterated that ASEAN has always been an outward-looking regional grouping and consider the grouping-centric regional order as the cornerstone for peace, security, stability and prosperity in the region and beyond. He strongly asserted that Cambodia stands by unity for cooperation and not unity for confrontation while urging the need to work in concert to promote trust and confidence and to joint hands in addressing various common security challenges so that all states, small or large, can co-exist with healthy competition.
Source: Agency Kampuchea Press