PUTRAJAYA SEPT. 18: Malaysia expresses its worries on the cooperation between Australia, United Kingdom and the United States of America on the formation of AUKUS to assist Australia to own a nuclear powered submarine.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, the Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob has expressed Malaysia’s worries on the formation of AUKUS as it will act as a catalyst on the possession of nuclear weapons in the Indo-Pacific region.
The Prime Minister stressed that at the same time it will provoke other powers to follow suit by acting more aggressively in this region especially in the South China Sea.
“As one of the ASEAN nations, Malaysia holds on the principle to maintain ASEAN in the Peaceful, Free and Neutral Zone (ZOFPAN),” the Prime Minister said.
The Prime Minister said that in response to his conversation with Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison via a phone call yesterday. Scott Morrison had explained to Ismail on the formation of AUKUS and the three nations’ cooperation to enable Australia to have a nuclear powered submarine.
In the conversation, Prime Minister Ismail emphasized on the importance to respect and comply with the existing stand and approach of Malaysia on nuclear powered submarine that operates in Malaysian waters including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982-UNCLOS and Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapons Free Zone –SEANWFZ.
“The two leaders then reached an agreement in renewing commitments together to maintain the international peace and safety specifically in the Indo-Pacific region,” the statement added.
According to the statement Prime Minister Ismail urges all parties to avoid any provocation and arms’ competition in this region besides emphasizing on the importance to respect and adhering to the existing stand and approach.
“Malaysia and Australia then agreed to strengthen cooperation and consultation in various aspects including the defence under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” the statement said. –Malaysia World News
