PHNOM PENH, Feb 17 — The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) today welcomed the joint statement of the leaders of the five nuclear-weapon states (NWS) on preventing nuclear war and avoiding arms races, reported Xinhua.
The five NWS, namely the United States, France, Russia, Britain and China, emphasised on Jan 3 the importance of preserving and complying with bilateral and multilateral non-proliferation, disarmament, and arms control agreements and commitments.
“We welcome the intention expressed by the five NWS in the above-mentioned statement to avoid military confrontations, to strengthen stability and predictability, and to increase mutual understanding and confidence, to ensure that the world remains peaceful, stable and secure,” said an Asean foreign ministers’ statement.
The statement was issued as the bloc’s foreign ministers held a retreat in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, in a hybrid format. — Bernama
