🗓 On June 26, Russian Ambassador to ASEAN H.E Mr. Evgeny Zagaynov 🇷🇺 took part in the “Conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC): Reflections and Future Direction” held at the ASEAN Headquarters in Jakarta 🇮🇩.
Key points of Ambassador's remarks:
🔹️Drafted against the backdrop of the Cold War, the #TAC was conceived as a tool to prevent rivalry, confrontation and conflicts. These goals remain relevant today.
🔹️Built upon the principles of the UN Charter the TAC translates the values of multilateralism and equitable cooperation into the regional perspective aiming to preclude any forms of domination or supremacy, double standards or coercion, including illegal unilateral coercive measures.
🔹️Currently the principles of the TAC are threatened by the logic of containment and confrontation. The proliferation of blocs and coalitions in Asia-Pacific leads to its militarization while undermining ASEAN centrality.
🔹️It clearly follows from the TAC that no state should put its political goals above the peace and stability of others. Developing a region-wide system of equal and indivisible security on that basis would be the best way to tackle the emerging challenges.
🔹️As provided for in Article 4 of the TAC, Russia 🇷🇺 consistently proposes tangible initiatives in existing ASEAN-led fora, including the #EAS, for instance, establishing a regional mechanism of infectious diseases prevention and control, or launching a dialogue on tourism among relevant agencies. Practical work in the EAS and other ASEAN-led structures that is now largely replaced by politicized exercises should be resumed.
🔹️The TAC offers a good basis for enhancing cross-platform ties of #ASEAN with other regional organizations, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (#SCO) and the Eurasian Economic Union (#EAEU), thus contributing to a seamless transregional space of co-development.
Key points of Ambassador's remarks:
🔹️Drafted against the backdrop of the Cold War, the #TAC was conceived as a tool to prevent rivalry, confrontation and conflicts. These goals remain relevant today.
🔹️Built upon the principles of the UN Charter the TAC translates the values of multilateralism and equitable cooperation into the regional perspective aiming to preclude any forms of domination or supremacy, double standards or coercion, including illegal unilateral coercive measures.
🔹️Currently the principles of the TAC are threatened by the logic of containment and confrontation. The proliferation of blocs and coalitions in Asia-Pacific leads to its militarization while undermining ASEAN centrality.
🔹️It clearly follows from the TAC that no state should put its political goals above the peace and stability of others. Developing a region-wide system of equal and indivisible security on that basis would be the best way to tackle the emerging challenges.
🔹️As provided for in Article 4 of the TAC, Russia 🇷🇺 consistently proposes tangible initiatives in existing ASEAN-led fora, including the #EAS, for instance, establishing a regional mechanism of infectious diseases prevention and control, or launching a dialogue on tourism among relevant agencies. Practical work in the EAS and other ASEAN-led structures that is now largely replaced by politicized exercises should be resumed.
🔹️The TAC offers a good basis for enhancing cross-platform ties of #ASEAN with other regional organizations, such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (#SCO) and the Eurasian Economic Union (#EAEU), thus contributing to a seamless transregional space of co-development.