The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) expressed its "concern over the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip and the appalling death toll there" on Saturday.
At a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States was "working diligently every day" to achieve a ceasefire in Gaza and find a path to lasting peace and security.
His comments came after his Indonesian counterpart, Retno Marsudi, said a lasting peace must be reached urgently.
"We cannot continue to turn a blind eye to the dire humanitarian situation in Gaza," Marsudi said.
Blinken urged ASEAN countries to work together to address issues such as the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine and North Korea's missile programs.
Before meeting his Chinese counterpart on Saturday, Blinken called on ASEAN foreign ministers to contribute to addressing challenges including Beijing's "escalatory and unlawful actions" in the South China Sea.
In a joint statement issued after two days of closed-door meetings in Laos, ASEAN also welcomed unspecified practical measures to de-escalate tensions in the South China Sea and prevent accidents and miscalculations.
The statement described North Korea's missile tests as a worrying development, and urged peaceful solutions to the conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine.
Comments