Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Kuala Lumpur Declaration reaffirmed the participating countries’ unwavering commitment to the 2005 Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the East Asia Summit, which laid down the broad vision, principles, objectives, and modalities of the East Asia Summit. It further reiterated their dedication to the 2010 Ha Noi Declaration commemorating the fifth anniversary of the EAS, the 2015 Kuala Lumpur Declaration marking the tenth anniversary, and the 2020 Ha Noi Declaration celebrating the fifteenth anniversary.
The declaration recognised that the world and the region are currently facing numerous geopolitical tensions and conflicts, along with economic uncertainties, security threats, and other transboundary challenges. It emphasised that these issues require collective collaboration and joint efforts to ensure lasting peace, social development, and economic progress for all. Reaffirming the region’s shared commitment to the purposes and principles enshrined in the Charter of the United Nations, the ASEAN Charter, and the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), the declaration also cited the 2005 Kuala Lumpur Declaration on the East Asia Summit and the 2011.
Declaration of the East Asia Summit on the Principles for Mutually Beneficial Relations (the Bali Principles) as “vital foundations” for continued cooperation and trust-building among member states. The declaration further supported ASEAN’s unity and centrality within ASEAN-led mechanisms, reaffirming ASEAN as the driving force within the East Asia Summit. It called for close partnerships with other participating countries to promote strategic trust and to ensure transparent, predictable, and responsible behaviour in regional and international affairs.
