PHNOM PENH – Preserving the region’s hard-earned peace must remain a top priority amid deepening geopolitical division, ongoing humanitarian and climate crises and armed conflict, Cambodia’s top diplomat says. 

Prak Sokhonn, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister called also for the Myanmar junta to meet the terms of the ASEAN consensus.

Sokhonn was speaking on Feb. 25 at the 2nd ASEAN Future Forum in Hanoi, Vietnam.

He said the region is navigating a world marked by deep, rapid, unpredictable and often dangerous changes driven by escalating geopolitical tensions and growing nontraditional security threats, including risk related to emerging technology. 

He said that this transformation, along with many regional challenges, tests ASEAN’s ability to remain strong and united. 

“And our strength will only endure if we all hang together. Over the past five decades, ASEAN has stood as a beacon of peace, stability and prosperity,” he said.

Sokhonn said ASEAN’s journey has not been without challenges, some of which had caused significant setbacks but the bloc had consistently emerged stronger, evolving into one of the world's most successful regional organizations. 

He said ASEAN’s success is firmly rooted in a principle of unity, consensus, mutual respect, and equality in both rights and responsibilities. 

ASEAN also persists in its efforts to foster peaceful coexistence with all nations regardless of size while prioritizing practical cooperation that benefits all parties and resolving differences peacefully.

“This is the essence of the ASEAN way, which has enabled us to remain united,” he said at a plenary session on Revisiting ASEAN's Fundamentals: Preparing for Future Challenges.

He said mega trends that will shape the coming decade include the evolving geopolitical landscape, the future of globalization and social economic challenges. 

He said that while predicting the future is inherently difficult, one certainty stood: The future is uncertain. With such many uncertainties, the preservation of peace was paramount.

Sokhonn said ASEAN’s prosperity has long been ensured by enduring peace. However, this peace has become increasingly fragile due to the deepening geopolitical division, humanitarian and climate crises, and armed conflicts that inflict immense suffering across various regions.

“Therefore, preserving the region’s hard-earned peace must remain our highest priority. We must not allow ourselves to become a proxy in major power rivalry by promoting mutually beneficial cooperation instead of zero-sum competition,” he said. 

“We need to rationally and properly manage any dispute, in particular territorial ones, and resolve them through dialogue, diplomacy, and peaceful means. We must ensure that the UN Charter and international law are applied in a fair, just, and transparent manner without double standards.”

Myanmar junta must fulfill its responsibility

Sokhonn also touched on the crisis in Myanmar which, he said, had proven exceptionally complex and difficult to address. 

He said Myanmar had tested the limits of ASEAN core principles, such as respect for sovereignty, consensus-based decision-making, and equal rights and responsibility, and above all, its unity. 

“Engagement has been met with a growing isolationist tendency, and the principle of consensus this decision making has at times been replaced with action that lacks consensus,” he said. 

“While we remain supportive of Myanmar-led and Myanmar’s own process, we must also acknowledge that Myanmar's sovereignty must be respected, and the principle of non-interference must be carefully balanced within our framework.”

Myanmar has been in turmoil since a coup in 2021 during which the elected civilian government was overthrown by the military led by senior general Min Aung Hlaing. ASEAN reached the five-point consensus in April that year to address the issue. 

Min Aung Hlaing has pledged to hold a national election in 2025 as the ruling junta is battling against armed ethnic and opposition groups advancing across the country. 

Sokhonn urged the junta ruling State Administration Council to fulfill its responsibility under the five-point consensus and all parties concerned to commit themselves in ending hostilities and engaging in inclusive dialogue as well as work constructively with ASEAN towards a peaceful settlement of disputes and not seek victory through force. 

He said ASEAN’s ability to help Myanmar resolve its crisis while firmly adhering to core principle and preserving unity will further enhance the bloc’s centrality and credibility. He also urged external partners to respect ASEAN’s leading and central role in the region.

“It is very important that we need to pass this test, not just for the sake of the people of Myanmar, but also for the future of ASEAN amidst one of the most turbulent times in world history,” he said.