EU, ASEAN Demand Hormuz Reopening, End to Iran War
The appeal came in a joint statement issued following the EU-ASEAN 25th Ministerial Meeting in Bandar Seri Begawan, the capital of Brunei, where EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Brunei Foreign Minister Prince Mohamed Bolkiah co-chaired the gathering on behalf of their respective blocs.
Welcoming the U.S.-Iran ceasefire brokered by Pakistan, the two blocs reaffirmed the "importance of upholding freedom of navigation in and overflight above straits used for international navigation, in accordance with international law, as reflected in the 1982 UNCLOS."
The joint communiqué expressed "deep concern over any discriminatory or unilateral measures that may impede or obstruct vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, or any straits used for international navigation."
Calling for the full restoration of unimpeded transit through the strait, the EU and ASEAN "urged all parties involved to maintain conducive conditions for the full and effective implementation of the ceasefire, by exercising utmost restraint, ceasing all hostilities, and avoiding any acts that may aggravate the situation."
The Strait of Hormuz has remained blocked as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran — now entering its second month since hostilities erupted on Feb. 28 — continues to batter global energy markets, with Asian nations bearing a disproportionate share of the economic fallout. More than 3,300 people have been killed in Iran, with thousands more internally displaced.
Pakistan secured the initial ceasefire on April 8. U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally extended it on April 21, though the Strait remains closed and broader negotiations remain deadlocked.
The two blocs further called for a "complete and immediate cessation of hostilities across all fronts in the Middle East," adding: "We further reaffirmed the obligations of all States to resolve their differences through peaceful means, and to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, to protect civilians and civilian infrastructure in armed conflicts, and to ensure the safety and security of UN peacekeepers and humanitarian personnel, in accordance with international law, the UN Charter, and relevant UNSC resolutions."
Lebanon, Gaza Crisis Draw Sharp Rebuke
The ministerial meeting also addressed the widening humanitarian catastrophe across the region. At least four Indonesian UN peacekeepers have been killed and others wounded amid Israeli attacks on Lebanon. Since March 2, those strikes have killed at least 2,509 people, wounded 7,755 others, and displaced more than 1.6 million.
On Gaza, the EU and the 11-member ASEAN voiced "grave concern" over the deteriorating conditions in the occupied Palestinian territories, deploring the continuing humanitarian crisis despite the ceasefire. Since October 2023, Israel's assault on Gaza has killed more than 72,000 people, the majority of them women and children.
The two blocs "condemned all attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure, and called for rapid, safe, sustained, and unimpeded humanitarian access to all those in need, including through increased capacity at border crossings, including by sea."
Both blocs reiterated their commitment to a two-state solution as the only viable path to lasting peace in the Middle East, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions.
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