KUALA LUMPUR: The geographical scope of a nuclear-free South-East Asia region will soon be expanded with Timor-Leste’s accession to the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone (SEANWFZ) Treaty, says Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
This comes as the country is set to be a full member come the 47th Asean Summit in October.
Mohamad said the Treaty is a cornerstone of Asean’s security architecture and a key instrument in the region’s role in global disarmament efforts amid a more complex security landscape.
“Timor-Leste’s accession will further expand the geographical scope of the Treaty and compliment broader regional security architecture in shaping strategic norms and expectations in our part of the world,” he said in his opening remarks at the SEANWFZ Commission meeting.
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim had previously said that Timor-Leste will be granted full Asean membership at the next Asean Summit in October, during Malaysia’s tenure as the regional grouping’s Chair.
During the exit press conference after the 46th Asean Summit and Related Summits in May, Anwar said Asean leaders had agreed to accept Timor-Leste as the 11th member of the association.
Separately, Mohamad said Asean can take pride in being free of nuclear weapons and weapons of mass destruction.
He said Asean has made significant strides in advancing the reuses of nuclear technology, particularly in ongoing cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency in the fields of agriculture, medical diagnostics, food technologies, among others.
“This further reaffirms Asean’s commitment to harnessing the peaceful civilian application of nuclear science in accordance with the objectives of the SEANWFZ Treaty,” he said.
Speaking to reporters later, Mohamad said China had agreed to sign the Treaty without any reservations, adding that there are two or three more countries that intend to continue previously postponed discussions on the SEANWFZ Treaty.
“This is a positive development,” he said.
Mohamad also expressed hope for the SEANWFZ Treaty bloc to have relations with other nuclear-free zones globally.
“This way, we can collectively discuss ways to ensure the world is free from nuclear threats,” he added.
SEANWFZ, also known as the Bangkok Treaty, was signed in December 1995 in Bangkok by 10 Asean member countries. It came into effect in March 1997.
