Manila: The Philippines on Friday marked the 50th year of the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC) and played host to its four newly acceded high contracting parties - Sweden, Poland, Lithuania, and Romania. The TAC is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations's (ASEAN) core peace and security treaty that establishes the code of conduct for inter-state relations within the region.
According to Philippines News Agency, five decades since it was signed and initiated by the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand in February 1976, the treaty's reach has now expanded to 62 states. During a commemorative activity that gathered ministers and high-level representatives of countries party to the pact, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro emphasized that the TAC remains relevant today as it was five decades ago.
She stated that advancing the pact's principles rests on the commitment of all its contracting parties to its foundational code - respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference, peaceful settlement of disputes, renunciation of threat or use of force, and effective cooperation across all domains. Lazaro remarked, "Peace is fragile. Peace is not a condition we inherit. Peace is a daily choice. It requires continuous labor, deliberate restraint, inclusive dialogue, and an unyielding adherence to the rule of law."
Lazaro added, "We are, without exception, far better off standing together in peace than standing alone in discord. It is precisely in times of global fracture that ASEAN's unique convening power becomes essential. Today, that convening power is on full display here in Manila." She further noted that the accession of the four new contracting parties reflects the universal recognition among countries of mutual respect and cooperation.
"As the community of high contracting parties continues to grow, so too does our collective responsibility to uphold these principles in the interest of regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity," Lazaro said. Signing for the four new high contracting parties were Swedish Defense Minister P¥l Jonson, Poland's State Assets Minister Wojciech Balczun, Lithuania Foreign Minister Kestutis Budrys, and Romania's Education and Research Minister Mihai Dimian.
The signing ceremony took place on the sidelines of the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and Related Meetings in Pasay City. In a separate message, Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. expressed that the Department of National Defense is committed to the TAC and will pursue "purposive action" and functional cooperation under the various frameworks of ASEAN, including the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and the ADMM-Plus.
"Through these platforms, we will continue to advocate for ASEAN solidarity, enhance our individual and collective resilience, and defend the principles that have bound us over the last five decades - and will continue to guide us in the years ahead," Teodoro stated.
