At the 48th Summit, Prabowo Invites ASEAN Member States to Make Southeast Asia a Zone of Peace
Jakarta (ANTARA) - President Prabowo Subianto has invited all member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to make the Southeast Asia region a zone of peace.
In the plenary session, the core of the 48th ASEAN Summit, President Prabowo stressed that ASEAN must serve as a stable anchor amid the rising escalation of global geopolitical conflicts, through inter-state cooperation and solidarity as fellow ASEAN members.
“We must set an example. We must truly commit to having a solid ASEAN and an ASEAN that maintains peace, maintains stability, that values dialogue and collaboration,” said President Prabowo during the panel session of the 48th ASEAN Summit at the Mactan Expo in Cebu, Philippines, on Friday, as quoted from the official broadcast of the Presidential Secretariat, confirmed on Friday afternoon.
“Amid deepening divisions, ASEAN’s culture of peace must not only be preserved but also advanced to become a global example. ASEAN must truly become a zone of peace,” stated President Prabowo in front of the leaders of ASEAN countries.
Furthermore, President Prabowo emphasised that geopolitical rivalries would only have negative impacts on societies and hinder development in the region. Therefore, for Prabowo, ASEAN must continue to prioritise dialogue and cooperation as the main foundation of inter-state relations.
In the main hall of the Mactan Expo, the panel session was opened by Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., followed by a deliberation session where each country’s leader delivered statements on ASEAN’s current situation and future projections.
President Prabowo also shared his views in that panel session alongside other member country leaders, namely Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Singaporean Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul, Timor-Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmão, Vietnamese Prime Minister Le Minh Hung, Sultan of Brunei Darussalam Hassanal Bolkiah, and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.