Minister K Shanmugam and fellow ASEAN Foreign Ministers at the Opening Ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and Related Meetings [Photo: MFA]Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Law K Shanmugam attended the 47th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM) and the Meeting of the Commission for the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon Free-Zone (SEANWFZ Commission) on 8 August 2014. The ASEAN Foreign Ministers also made a joint courtesy call on the President of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar U Thein Sein.
At the 47th AMM, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers discussed the progress made in ASEAN’s Community-building efforts, as well as the work of the ASEAN Coordinating Council Working Group on ASEAN Community’s Post-2015 Vision and the High Level Task Force on Strengthening the ASEAN Secretariat and Reviewing the ASEAN Organs. They also discussed ASEAN’s central role in the regional architecture and exchanged views on the situation in the South China Sea.
At the Meeting of the Commission for the Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear-Weapon Free Zone (SEANWFZ), the Ministers reviewed the progress on the implementation of the Plan of Action to Strengthen the SEANWFZ Treaty (2013-2017), and reaffirmed their commitment to preserve Southeast Asia as a Nuclear-Weapon Free Zone.
At the courtesy call on the President U Thein Sein, the ASEAN Ministers reaffirmed their support for Myanmar’s ASEAN Chairmanship, and congratulated Myanmar on the successful hosting of the ASEAN meetings thus far.
In addition, ASEAN and Norway adopted the Joint Statement on ASEAN-Norway Partnership to enhance mutual cooperation. Norway was represented by Deputy Foreign Minister Morten Høglund.
. . . . .
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
8 AUGUST 2014