ASEAN Urges Britain To Immediately Agree On Nuclear Weapons Free Agreement

JAKARTA - The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has pushed the UK to ensure Southeast Asia is a nuclear weapons-free region by immediately agreeing on the SEANWFZ protocol.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi emphasized the importance of efforts to maintain peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific which has lasted more than half a century thanks to the architecture of the ASEAN-centric inclusive region.

The architecture of this area is built on a paradigm of collaboration and compliance with international laws and principles, including the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) and Bali Principles. I am sure that Britain also adheres to these principles," said Retno at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting with British Foreign Minister James Cleanly in Jakarta as reported by ANTARA, Thursday, July 13.

ASEAN's move to accept Britain as the region's newest entrepreneurial partner two years ago demonstrated ASEAN's commitment to partnering with all countries, Retno said.

"However, of course these partners must adhere to the same values as ASEAN and contribute to peace, stability, and prosperity in the region," he said.

The Southeast Asian Agreement as a Nuclear Free Zone also known as the Bangkok Agreement was signed in 1995 by all ASEAN members.

The agreement stipulates that countries that sign the treaty should not "develop, manufacture, or acquire, own, or have control of nuclear weapons", "place or transport nuclear weapons in any way", or "test or use nuclear weapons."

However, 28 years since the SEANWFZ treaty was signed by ten ASEAN members, none of the nuclear weapons-owning countries have adopted the agreement protocol.

There are five countries that have nuclear weapons, namely Russia, China, Britain, the US, and France.

Retno previously stated that ASEAN would review the contents of the protocol so that nuclear weapons-owning countries also signed and adopted the SEANWFZ Protocol.

"We will continue communication with each other... assign our negotiators to return to see (the protocol content) because there are several sentences in the paragraph that have not been approved," said Retno, Tuesday (11/7).