Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn highlighted the significance of preserving the region’s peace, referencing the Myanmar case, amid rapid, unpredictable, and often perilous changes driven by escalating geopolitical tensions.
“Over the past five decades, ASEAN has stood as a beacon of peace, stability, and prosperity,” he said. “Yet, our journey has not been without challenges, some of which have caused significant setbacks. And our strength will only endure if we all hang together.”
Sokhonn made the speech on Tuesday during the 2nd ASEAN Future Forum (2nd AFF) in Vietnam’s Hanoi, which concluded yesterday, where he firmly stressed the use of peaceful means to solve the remaining regional issues, particularly the Myanmar conflict.
“The situation in Myanmar, a fellow ASEAN member state, has proven exceptionally complex and difficult to address, and I choose to touch on this particular topic, which is that the crisis has tested the limits of ASEAN’s core principles, such as respect for sovereignty, consensus-based decision-making, and equal rights and responsibilities, and above all, our organisation’s unity,” he noted.
He added that it is very important that ASEAN needs to pass this test, not just for the sake of the people of Myanmar, but also for the future of ASEAN amidst one of the most turbulent times in the world’s history.
“We are navigating a world marked by deep, rapid, unpredictable, and often dangerous changes driven by escalating geopolitical tensions and growing non-traditional threats, including risk related to emerging technologies,” he added.
Sokhonn noted that these transformations, along with numerous regional challenges, test the regional grouping’s ability to remain strong and united.
“Nevertheless, ASEAN has consistently emerged stronger, evolving into one of the world’s most successful regional organisations. ASEAN’s success is firmly rooted in the principles of unity, consensus, mutual respect, and equality in both rights and responsibilities,” he said.
“We prioritise practical cooperation that benefits all parties and, as much as we can, resolve our differences through peaceful means,” Sokhonn added. “We need to rationally and properly manage any disputes, in particular the territorial ones, and resolve them through dialogue, diplomacy, and peaceful means.”
He cautioned that at the same time, ASEAN must ensure that the UN Charter and international law are applied in a fair, just, and transparent manner without double standards.
Sokhonn said that while the support for a Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned process remained, it requires the acknowledgement that Myanmar’s sovereignty must be respected, the principle of non-interference must be carefully balanced within the ASEAN’s framework.
In addition, he highlighted that Myanmar’s State Administration Council (SAC) must fulfil its responsibilities under the Five-Point Consensus.
“All parties concerned have to commit themselves to ending hostilities and engaging in inclusive dialogue, as well as work constructively within ASEAN towards a peaceful settlement of the dispute, and it’s not searching for victory through force,” he said.
In this connection, he emphasised that the ability to help Myanmar resolve its crisis, while firmly adhering to the grouping’s core principles and preserving its unity, will further enhance ASEAN’s centrality and credibility.
Engagement has been made with growing isolation tendencies, and the principle of consensus decision-making has at times been replaced with actions that lack consensus.
The Five-Point Consensus, agreed upon by all ASEAN member states, including Myanmar, calls for an immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar, constructive dialogue among all parties, the mediation of such dialogues by a special ASEAN envoy, humanitarian assistance provided by ASEAN, and visits by the special envoy to meet with stakeholders in Myanmar.
“As we always insist on the external partners respecting the leading and central role in the internal affairs, we also have to show that the commitment toward the ASEAN Way is unwavering,” Sokhonn said.
“While predicting the future is inherently difficult, one certainty stands: the future is uncertain, and among the many uncertainties we face, the preservation of peace remains paramount. ASEAN’s prosperity has long been anchored in enduring peace.”
“However, this peace has become increasingly fragile due to the deepening geopolitical divisions, ongoing humanitarian and climate crisis, and armed conflicts that continue to inflict immense suffering across various regions, including our own,” Sokhonn said.
Therefore, preserving the region’s hard-earned peace must remain the highest priority, he added.
“We must not allow ourselves to become a proxy in major power rivalry by promoting mutually beneficial cooperation instead of zero-sum competition,” Sokhonn said. “We persist in our efforts to foster peaceful coexistence with all nations regardless of size.”
During the two-day Forum, a preceding session had explored deeply into the future mega trends that will shape the coming decades, including the evolving geopolitical landscape, the future of globalisation, and socio-economic challenges, according to Sokhonn.
In recent years, he added, many countries have shown an increased interest in joining the grouping’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, upgrading existing partnerships, or establishing formal relations with ASEAN.
“We should welcome these efforts to promote mutually beneficial cooperation while simultaneously strengthening our institutions to meet these growing demands,” said Sokhonn.
He noted that initiatives like the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific, the ASEAN Power Grid, and the proposed Digital Economy Framework Agreement exemplify ASEAN’s leadership in shaping the regional agenda.
