Brussels (FN), Dec. 15 – Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen, in his capacity as the rotating chair of ASEAN 2022, said that ASEAN and European Union (EU) shall work closely to ensure international order, which was openly violated by some states.

The premier spoke during the opening ceremony of the ASEAN-EU Commemorative Summit to celebrate the 45th Anniversary of ASEAN-EU Dialogue Relations, held on 14 December 2022 in Brussels.

"Commemorative Summit is a major milestone in the more than four and a half decades of ASEAN-EU relations. The Commemorative Summit was a special opportunity for an in-depth look at past cooperation, as well as a change of perspective and spirit to orient the future for both region relations," the premier underscored.

"Our common spirit and aspiration for peace and prosperity in the two regions have led to the establishment of a successful strategic partnership with a clear and comprehensive action plan for 2023-2027 covering many areas of cooperation under the three pillars of ASEAN," the premier continued.

Samdech also noted the issue of world order and the ongoing war in Ukraine. Samdech said that the Commemorative Summit was held at a time when multilateralism was under severe pressure. What is even more worrying is that global peace has also been threatened by the actions of some states that openly violate internationally recognized laws, norms, and principles.

For the way forward, Samdech believed that ASEAN and the EU shall work closely to ensure international order based on the rule of law, openness, transparency, and mutual benefit.

"As the two-party bloc based on the rule of law and accountability, ASEAN and the EU shall do their utmost to protect and promote the UN Charter and its laws, norms, and principles, which are recognized globally as the foundation for building peace, stability and improving the quality of life and livelihoods of our people in our region as well as the world," Samdech added.

Based on the experience of the chronic and tragic war in Cambodia, Samdech mentioned that peace cannot be achieved through war or the threat of war. In this regard, Samdech proposed a peaceful resolution to deal with the conflict.
=FRESH NEWS