THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) has urged the United States and Iran to continue negotiations that will end the war in the Middle East.
The Asean foreign ministers welcomed the two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran, announced on April 8.
But the peace talks, hosted by Pakistan, aimed at ending the war between the US and Iran bogged down, as marathon negotiations failed to produce a deal.
“We call for the full and effective implementation of the ceasefire, aimed at preventing further suffering and loss of lives,” the Asean leaders said in a statement on Monday.
They underscored the need to “minimize disruption to the flow of energy and essential goods, and [mitigate] its adverse impact on global economic stability.”
The 11-member regional bloc also sought “maritime security and freedom of navigation and overflight, especially for merchant, noncombatant vessels and aircraft” in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos).
“In this regard, we call for the restoration of the safe, unimpeded and continuous transit passage of vessels and aircraft in the Strait of Hormuz in line with the 1982 Unclos, as well as for all parties to ensure the safety of seafarers and ships in accordance with the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea,” they said.
They stressed the “importance of promoting earnest dialogue and diplomacy as the primary means of addressing conflicts and tensions, including the need for a complete and immediate cessation of hostilities across all fronts in the Middle East.”
They urged all parties involved to “maintain conducive conditions for the full and effective implementation of the ceasefire, including by adhering strictly to its terms, exercising utmost restraint, ceasing all hostilities, acting responsibly, avoiding any acts that may aggravate the situation and working collectively toward a comprehensive and enduring resolution in accordance with international law, the UN Charter and relevant UNSC (UN Security Council) resolutions.”
The Asean is composed of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Timor-Leste, Thailand and Vietnam.
