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Leaders to the opening ceremony of the 24th ASEAN Summit
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Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 24th ASEAN Summit this morning, President Thein Sein affirmed that solidarity and unity would help ASEAN to ensure the successful building of a peaceful and prosperous Community by 2015.
He urged the bloc to actively devise the post-2015 development agenda, promote ASEAN’ central role insuring peace, stability and development in the region, enhance relations with its partners, and promote ASEAN’s role and position in the international arena.
President Thein Sein also suggested that ASEAN should beef up the implementation of ASEAN Community building, narrow development gap, improve the competitiveness and resillience of the ASEAN economies, and fruitfully deal with emerging challenges.
ASEAN leaders affirmed that in the face of the complicated developments, ASEAN needs to maintain solidarity and promote its central role and responsibility in ensuring a peaceful and stable environment for development in the region, effectively settle challenges.
Regarding the East Sea issue, ASEAN leaders voiced their deep concern over the recent developments in the East Sea, which caused escalating tensions and damaged peace, stability, and security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea.
They called for serious observation the principles of international law and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), including the settlement of disputes through peaceful measures, without using or threatening the use of force.
Relevant parties must exercise restraint and refrain from taking actions to complicate the situation.
ASEAN leaders also stressed the necessity to fully implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea and quickly conclude a Code of Conduct (COC)./.
By Huong Giang
