Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro denied that there is an erosion of the centrality of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), whose summits and meetings the Philippines will chair in 2026, amid regional and global threats due to great power rivalry, internal divisions, and institutional limitations. (via Raymund Antonio | MB)
00:00It's almost several years that this discussion is going on, and I think there is already a sense
00:08among ASEAN and China that a code of conduct will be concluded.
00:20However, we're just finishing, there's supposed to be a meeting in China,
00:26and I think we'll just be postponed, but that will be the last of that under the chairship of Malaysia.
00:33Again, this issue was discussed during our first, during our retreat, one of the subjects of discussion,
00:39during our retreat in January with the other foreign ministers.
00:44Confidence, if you're asking about confidence, but I go back to the position taken,
00:51or the decision taken by the foreign ministers in 2023 that they already mandated that this code of conduct
01:00should be finished within three years, and we have, of course, technically until July 2026,
01:08but it is indeed our intention.
01:11And I think it is also the aspiration of all of ASEAN, and even China, to finish and to come up with a code of conduct.
01:20Okay, first of all, a special envoy of Myanmar, to Myanmar, by the Philippines, and of course representing ASEAN.
01:31The objective right now is to build on what has been done with the previous chairs, particularly Malaysia.
01:40Malaysia had about 170 engagements, and we are of the view that we cannot do everything that was done by Malaysia,
01:49or even the past chairs, starting from that.
01:52So it is the view, it is our view, it is the Philippine position, that we will just be working on what has been established.
02:00And to continue, it's really the issue of continuity, so that what they have done before is something that we can just continue to do.
02:10Now, you mentioned the words to go there, to go there. We are still trying to discuss, we are still discussing these things.
02:21In fact, it will be first discussed during the retreat, that will be in January, of the foreign ministers.
02:27The strategy is still being developed, as I was just designated by the President.
02:36And your other question was...
02:40Someone, there will be no discussion before the election.
02:43Because before, the post-aparticle before.
02:45There will be some, I cannot be very sure, because you see that the chairship of Malaysia ends until December 31st.
02:53So there will be, there's some worthy group meetings going on, and there will be discussions.
02:58There are two elements basically, is one, what would be the situation, and what is the, will ASEAN sit, observer, missions to the election, for coming elections in December.
03:11This is still being discussed.
03:13There are also elements of, there are also questions on, should ASEAN have a longer term special envoy?
03:23Perhaps all this will be discussed, particularly the possibility of getting a, a longer term special envoy during the chairship of the Philippines.
03:32What is the, that is, whether or not people will come to England who will be Tuesdays in December 31st.
03:33So, I will certainly be here, but there's no, there are some, there are some of the things that we will look into.
03:37That is, I will be going to travel to Paris right now.
03:38I have to have to be one of those, one of the issues that I have to be ŃĐźŃŃled in the city.
03:40Let's talk about the situation for a while.
03:43And there are some of the issues that I have to have to focus on.
03:45This is a part of the life of Japan, which is a part of the community of pepperoni.
03:46There are some of the movement that I have to be discussed.
03:48There are some of the things that say, because a lot of the�尹ans in a new room,
03:50There are some of the meetings that I have to be discussed, and a lot of the seat ofHila, and the relationship,
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