Hanoi (VNA) – The 12th meeting of ASEAN Regional Forum Experts andEminent Persons (ARF EEPs) convened in Hanoi on March 6 under the chair ofVietnam and Japan.
Thetwo-day annual meeting discussed regional security and emerging challenges,thus putting forth policy recommendations to the upcoming ARF MinisterialMeeting.
Inhis opening remark at the meeting, Vietnamese Deputy Foreign Minister NguyenQuoc Dung said the event took place at a time when the region is being deeply impactedby the power-shifting process, policy changes undertaken by big countries, and moretraditional and nontraditional security risks.
Cooperationamong ARF member countries, including the group of EEPs, plays an importantrole in addressing these impacts, he said, noting that the EEPs group hassubmitted several pieces of valuable advice, contributing to promotingpreventive diplomacy in Asia-Pacific to maintain peace and stability andshaping the rule-based regional security architecture to be led by ASEAN andother ASEAN-led forums.
Agendaof this year’s meeting focused on preventive diplomacy within the ARF’sframework, opportunities and challenges to preventive diplomacy in the future,and major security issues in the region, including those related to maritimeand cyber security.-VNA
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Scene at the meeting (Photo: VNA) 
