KUALA LUMPUR, July 2 – China and Russia have confirmed their intention to sign the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone Treaty (SEANWFZ), while the United States is still reviewing the agreement, according to Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The participation of major global powers in the treaty is expected to reinforce Southeast Asia’s status as a peaceful region free from nuclear threats.
“We have established Southeast Asia as a peaceful region, and next week, foreign ministers will convene for further discussions,“ Mohamad said during Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim’s engagement session with the Malaysian diaspora in Rome.
The SEANWFZ, also called the Bangkok Treaty, was signed in 1995 by all 10 ASEAN member states and took effect in 1997.
The treaty’s protocol requires Nuclear Weapon States (NWS) to respect the zone’s non-nuclear status, refrain from threatening nuclear attacks, and avoid actions that undermine the agreement.
Malaysia is set to host the 58th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (58th AMM) and related sessions from July 8 to 11 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC).
The country assumed the ASEAN Chairmanship in January 2025, succeeding Laos under the theme ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability.’
This marks Malaysia’s fifth time leading ASEAN, having previously chaired in 1977, 1997, 2005, and 2015.
