The ASEM Joint Statement affirmed its commitment to ensuring peace, promoting security and stability at sea, and freedom of navigation in accordance with international law.

At the end of the 12th ASEM Ministerial Conference in Luxembourg on November 6, Asian and European ministers issued a Joint Statement on the discussed contents.

Notably, the ASEM Joint Statement affirmed the commitment to ensuring peace, promoting security and stability at sea, and freedom of navigation in accordance with international law.

EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini at the press conference concluding the Conference.

Although the relevant sea area was not specified, at the press conference ending the conference, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs also answered in detail questions about ASEM and EU's views on finding solutions to disputes in the East Sea.

The Joint Statement concluding the 12th ASEM Ministerial Conference consists of 10 pages and 4 parts: Climate change, the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and disaster risk reduction; Connectivity; Regional and international issues and the Future of ASEM.

Notably, in the section on regional and international issues, paragraph 22 of the Joint Statement stated: "The Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to maintaining peace, promoting maritime security, stability, safety and cooperation, freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful trade and combating piracy, in accordance with international law.

The Ministers agreed on the critical importance of refraining from the threat or use of force, of refraining from unilateral actions, and of resolving maritime disputes by peaceful means in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The Ministers stressed the need for confidence-building measures to promote trust and security in the region."

Following that, at the press conference ending the conference, answering questions from the press focusing on the East Sea issue, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Mogherini affirmed that the issue had been discussed in depth by conference participants in a closed session on the morning of November 6, including representatives of countries involved in the East Sea dispute.

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said: "It is very important that we stress the need to refrain from the use or threat of force, avoid unilateral actions and resolve maritime disputes through peaceful means in accordance with universally recognised principles of international law, including UNCLOS.

Respect for these is clearly expressed in the European Union's positions on the content of both the declaration and the European Union's commitments to maintaining maritime order in accordance with the fundamental principles of international law, in particular UNCLOS.

We oppose at all times any claim to maritime territory through the use of force or the threat of force, as well as unilateral actions that lead to further conflicts.

Europe is very interested in this issue, even though we are geographically distant. We are interested in resolving this issue by peaceful means because of the level of interconnectedness and interdependence between our two continents."

In addition, the Joint Statement concluding the ASEM conference also stated strong commitments by Ministers of Asian and European countries to continue building ASEM to fulfill the expectations for this forum set forth nearly 20 years ago.

The joint statement also officially announced that the ASEM Summit will be held in Mongolia in July next year, concurrently with the 20th anniversary of the forum's establishment and development./.

According to VOV