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Jokowi calls on ASEAN to improve maritime cooperation
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo listens to a remark at the 29th ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, on Sept. 7, 2016. (Courtesy of State Secretary/Laily Rachev)
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nly one day after visiting China, which has sparked a territorial dispute in the South China Sea, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo has iterated the importance of maritime cooperation between ASEAN countries to maintain peace and stability in the region.
During a retreat meeting on the sidelines of the 29th ASEAN Summit in Vientiane, Laos, on Wednesday, Jokowi stressed that ASEAN should immediately implement a maritime cooperation agreement that had been signed at the 2015 East Asia Summit (EAS).
"The maritime cooperation should also seriously resolve conflicts at sea, such as illegal fishing, territorial disputes, kidnappings and piracy […] Don’t let criminal acts at sea become a new norm. I urge that we improve maritime security cooperation," he said.
Jokowi said the EAS and other existing mechanisms, such as ASEAN Plus Three and the ASEAN Regional Forum, had yet to fully ensure peace in the region. On the other hand, a number of activities in the Southeast Asian region have increased tension that could lead to conflict, he said.
"We need a regional security architecture that is robust and comprehensive, that promotes ASEAN centrality and contributes more effectively to security and stability in the region," he continued.
The President voiced expectation that the ASEAN region achieve the ultimate goal listed in the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) and the East Asia Summit Bali Principles. (ags)
