Kuala lumpur: ASEAN has expressed its openness to any individual Nuclear Weapon States (NWS) to sign the Protocol of the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty, reaffirming the region's commitment to remain free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, the ASEAN Foreign Ministers noted that the Executive Committee of the SEANWFZ Commission continues to explore the possibility of allowing individual NWS to sign the Protocol without reservations and provide prior formal written assurance of their commitment.
The ministers reaffirmed their dedication to engaging all NWS, including those with reservations, and emphasized the importance of resolving outstanding issues in line with the SEANWFZ Treaty's objectives and principles. They encouraged ASEAN experts to seek ways to bridge differences, potentially by engaging with NWS experts. The ministers issued a joint communique following the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting.
The meeting and related events, including the SEANWFZ Commission meeting, were held under Malaysia's ASEAN Chairmanship 2025 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC), concluding with a focus on "Inclusivity and Sustainability."
Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan announced that China, one of the five recognized NWS under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT), would sign the Protocol of the SEANWFZ once documentation is complete. Russia has indicated readiness to sign, while the United States is reviewing the treaty.
The ministers also committed to raising the SEANWFZ Treaty's global profile and engaging with other nuclear weapon-free zones (NWFZs). They welcomed the adoption of the ASEAN-sponsored biennial resolution on the SEANWFZ Treaty by the 78th Session of the United Nations General Assembly in December 2023, highlighting the Treaty's role in international peace and security.
The ministers tasked officials to work towards submitting the biennial SEANWFZ Resolution at the First Committee of the 80th Session of the UNGA, aiming to reaffirm the Treaty's contribution to regional and international security. SEANWFZ is one of five NWFZs globally, alongside zones in Latin America and the Caribbean, the South Pacific, Africa, and Central Asia.
They anticipated Timor-Leste's accession to the treaty by the 47th ASEAN Summit in October, which would enhance the region's nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation efforts. The ministers stressed the need to expedite internal legal procedures for Timor-Leste's timely accession.
The ministers called on NPT states parties to renew their commitment to full and effective implementation, particularly Article VI, and to strive for a meaningful consensual outcome document at the 11th NPT Review Conference in 2026. They supported Vietnam's nomination as President of the conference.
The importance of fully implementing the SEANWFZ Treaty, including the Plan of Action to Strengthen the Implementation of the SEANWFZ Treaty (2023-2027), was also emphasized.