{"id":18442,"date":"2026-07-26T00:39:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-26T00:39:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/18442\/"},"modified":"2026-07-26T00:39:09","modified_gmt":"2026-07-26T00:39:09","slug":"sweden-poland-romania-lithuania-join-asean-peace-treaty","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/18442\/","title":{"rendered":"Sweden, Poland, Romania, Lithuania join ASEAN peace treaty"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sweden<\/a>, Poland, Romania, and Lithuania formally acceded to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) on Friday, expanding the bloc\u2019s community of high-contracting parties and underscoring growing European support for ASEAN\u2019s rules-based approach to regional peace and security.<\/p>\n

The four European nations joined the treaty during the first-ever High-Level Conference of High-Contracting Parties since the TAC was signed in 1976, hosted by the Philippines as part of its ASEAN Chairship in 2026 and the treaty\u2019s 50th anniversary.<\/p>\n

Speaking at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City, Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro welcomed the four new high-contracting parties into ASEAN\u2019s expanding global community.<\/p>\n

\"blank\"SCREENGRABBED FROM PCO FB PAGE<\/p>\n

Lazaro said the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation has been instrumental in ASEAN\u2019\u2019 transformation over the past five decades.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the past five decades, peace transformed Southeast Asia from a region of turmoil into a global economic powerhouse, a vibrant market, and an engine of innovation. Our journey proved one fundamental truth. Economic prosperity does not happen by accident. It is made possible only under the indispensable conditions of peace,\u201d Secretary Lazaro said.<\/p>\n

She described the TAC as ASEAN\u2019s guiding code of conduct for preserving peace and stability, noting that its principles now resonate well beyond Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n

\"blank\"SCREENGRABBED FROM PCO FB PAGE<\/p>\n

\u201cToday, that invitation is upheld by 62 high contracting parties representing nearly three quarters of humanity. When our leaders took the leap of faith, they recognized a truth that presses upon us today. No nation can prosper in isolation and true security can never be built behind closed doors,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The conference centered on conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy, maritime security and cooperation, and emerging regional and global challenges.<\/p>\n

Earlier, ASEAN adopted the Guidelines on the Modalities for Engagement of ASEAN with High Contracting Parties to the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation, a Philippine Chairship priority that provides a framework for non-ASEAN signatories \u2014 particularly those without formal partnership arrangements \u2014 to engage more deeply with the regional bloc.<\/p>\n

\"blank\"SCREENGRABBED FROM PCO FB PAGE<\/p>\n

Lazaro also highlighted the Filipino concept of \u201ckapwa,\u201d saying it reflects a universal principle of peace and mutual respect that transcends borders.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe find this exact same core belief that human dignity is indivisible and a true peace rests on our ability to see ourselves to the other. This result teaches us one lesson. Neighborhood is not defined by geographic distance. It is defined by shared values and common aspirations. When you view one another through the lens of \u2018kapwa,\u2019 physical distance evaporates. We become true neighbors in a shared world.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"blank\"SCREENGRABBED FROM PCO FB PAGE<\/p>\n

She stressed that sustaining peace requires collective effort and adherence to international law.<\/p>\n

According to Lazaro, the engagement of external partners in promoting peace demands \u201ccontinuous labor, deliberate restraint, inclusive dialogue, and an unyielding adherence to the rule of law.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is precisely in times of global fracture that ASEAN\u2019s unique convening power becomes essential. Today, that convening power is on full display here in Manila. ASEAN remains an open, inclusive, and safe space, a trusted platform where nations, regardless of size or strategic alignment, can gather, speak candidly, cultivate trust, and actively choose peace,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Sweden, Poland, Romania, and Lithuania formally acceded to the ASEAN Treaty of Amity and Cooperation (TAC) on Friday,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18443,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[11947,11960,11961,361,11962,678,74,11963,11964,352,11950,11965,5951,9,11966,11967,76,613],"class_list":["post-18442","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-poland","tag-asean","tag-asean-chairship","tag-asean-treaty-of-amity-and-cooperation-tac","tag-defense","tag-department-of-foreign-affairs-dfa","tag-diplomacy","tag-europe","tag-guidelines-on-the-modalities-for-engagement-of-asean-with-high-contracting-parties-to-the-treaty-of-amity-and-cooperation","tag-high-level-conference-of-high-contracting-parties","tag-lithuania","tag-ma-theresa-lazaro","tag-maritime-security-and-cooperation","tag-peace","tag-poland","tag-prosperity","tag-regional-peace-and-security","tag-romania","tag-sweden"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18442","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18442"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18442\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18443"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18442"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18442"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/poland\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18442"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}