Vientiane – Five additional countries will accede to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC), a well-known regional conduct for peace and prosperity, this year, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith said yesterday.
He announced at the opening session of the ASEAN Ministerial Meeting that, under its chairmanship, Finland, Spain, Luxembourg, and Mexico will join Algeria in signing the 1976 treaty.
The TAC enshrines principles of non-interference, non-use of force, and consensus in decision-making, among others.
There has been a surge in accessions to the TAC over the past 15 years.
Between 2010 and 2024, the 46-year-old treaty gained 34 additional signatories. Today, 59 countries from various geographical regions have joined the TAC.
Only at the end of 1987 did the TAC allow non-ASEAN members to sign the treaty. China was the first major country to accede to the TAC, followed by India in 2003, the US in 2009, and the EU in 2012.
Recently, Indonesia hosted a meeting of the High Council at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, with members who have acceded to the TAC, to reaffirm its principles and promote peace and stability in the region and beyond.
The meeting also emphasized the importance of peaceful coexistence, mutual respect, and cooperation among ASEAN members and dialogue partners.
ASEAN aims to further promote these values.
by Thai PBS World/Photo: Laos’ Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith (C) speaks during the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ plenary session meeting in Vientiane on July 25.//AFP
