ASEAN defense ministers called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a lasting solution to the crisis in Myanmar during the opening of a regional meeting in Jakarta, TVP World reported.
Defense ministers from the Asian bloc are taking part in the two-day meeting alongside key players in the Indo-Pacific region as major powers vie for regional influence and as conflicts deepen from Myanmar to the Middle East.
Opening the annual meeting, Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto said the world's largest Muslim country was deeply saddened by the deteriorating conditions in Gaza, particularly the "horrific" humanitarian situation.
"Indonesia's position is clear and firm. We insist and call for the immediate cessation of hostilities and the immediate establishment of humanitarian aid corridors," he said in his opening remarks.
On a visit to Washington this week, Indonesian President Joko Widodo urged US President Joe Biden to do more to end Israel's war with Hamas.
Malaysian Defense Minister Haji Mohammad bin Haji Hassan reiterated calls for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, saying Malaysia "condemns terrorism in all forms", including taking people hostage and bombing civilian homes.
In his capacity as chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) this year, Prabowo also urged his colleagues to push for concrete progress towards a peaceful solution in Myanmar, which has been torn by chaos and violence since the 2021 coup.
The annual meeting comes at a time when conflicts are raging in the Middle East and Ukraine and as tensions rise in disputed waters in the South China Sea, where China is accused of aggression against the US-backed Philippines and is seeking to strengthen military ties with Japan.
All ASEAN defense ministers except Myanmar's attended the forum, and US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin will meet his counterparts later in the day. /BGNES
