East Sea dispute among key regional issues: PM Lee
The territorial dispute in the East Sea and terrorism are the two key issues that regional leaders must keep a watchful eye on, said Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (Photo: AFP)
The territorial dispute in the East Sea and terrorism are the two keyissues that regional leaders must keep a watchful eye on, saidSingaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loon at the close of the 26th ASEANSummit in Langkawi, Malaysia on April 27. While discussionswere centred on the progress of the ASEAN Community Blueprint and theregion's post-2015 vision, Lee said the East Sea was on everyone'sminds. For the ASEAN Community to work and the regional economyto continue developing, the region needs to have a conduciveenvironment for growth, the Singaporean PM said. It was the first time Lee addressed recent developments in the East Sea. He urged all parties to adhere to international law, including theUnited Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, in the conduct ofactivities in the East Sea and to ensure that rights to freedom ofnavigation and overflight are not jeopardised. He said ASEAN has a role to "keep the temperature down". He suggested leaders work together with China to expeditiouslyconclude a Code of Conduct (COC) to help prevent and manage incidents inthe area. On the topics of terrorism and the threat of IslamicState, Lee reiterated the need for member states to enhance cooperationin intelligence-sharing but stressed that security action is notenough, adding that ASEAN ought to work more closely on dealing with theideological and social issues.-VNA
In the Chairman’s Statement of the 26th ASEAN Summit, ASEAN leaders shared their serious concerns expressed by some leaders on the land reclamation being undertaken in the East Sea.
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Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (Photo: AFP)
