KUALA LUMPUR: Asean welcomes efforts to establish a cessation of violence in Gaza, which is the first phase of United States President Donald Trump‘s 20-point Gaza peace plan, said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
At the Asean Foreign Ministers’ Meeting today, he said the plan, entitled the ‘Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict’, marks an important step forward for the people in Gaza.
“For the past two years, the world has borne witness to the unspeakable suffering endured by the Palestinians in Gaza.
“A tragedy marked by devastating loss of life, mass displacement, and the systematic erosion of hope and dignity.
“We hope that it will ultimately lead to the realisation of the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination, and the establishment of a sovereign and independent State of Palestine,” Mohamad said in his opening remarks.
Mohamad said that international law and the global order have been under heavy strain in recent years and Asean must not turn a blind eye to conflicts beyond its waters while it continues to address the challenges posed within the region.
He said as the international landscape becomes increasingly dominated by contestation rather than consensus and division rather than dialogue, Asean finds itself at a crossroads as its space for neutrality and centrality is narrowing, particularly in areas such as trade, technology, and regional security arrangements.
“As I said at the beginning of Malaysia’s stewardship of Asean, we must continue to act as the speakers, and not the spoken for.
“This will be Asean’s most pressing task in the uncertain years that lie ahead,” he said.
Under Malaysia’s 2025 Asean Chairmanship theme of ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’, this summit is set to be one of the largest in Asean’s history, serving as a crucial platform to foster deeper regional collaboration and address global challenges cohesively and inclusively.
The event will also see Timor-Leste’s active participation towards its accession as Asean’s 11th member, which is expected to be formalised during the summit on Oct 26.
Among the key meetings taking place this week are the 26th Asean Economic Community Council Meeting, focusing on the AEC Blueprint 2025, as well as the Asean Geoeconomics Task Force Experts+4 Meeting, which will discuss strategies to navigate intensifying global economic and trade headwinds.
This is the fifth time Malaysia has assumed the Asean Chair since the bloc’s establishment in 1967, following its previous chairmanships in 2015, 2005, 1997, and 1977.
© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd
