Jakarta. Saudi Arabia on Wednesday officially inked ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia -- commonly shortened as the TAC -- during the group’s ministerial meeting in Jakarta.

The Middle Eastern country sent its senior diplomat Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud to sign the non-aggression pact. Saudi Arabia also became the 51st nation to accede to the TAC. 

“The [signing] reflects Saudi’s strong commitment to abide by ASEAN values and principles as enshrined in the TAC,” Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi said when kicking off the TAC signing ceremony.

“A commitment to cooperate and collaborate. A commitment to contribute to upholding international laws. A commitment to contribute to peace and stability in Southeast Asia and beyond,” she added.

Such principles are becoming even more critical amidst today’s geopolitical dynamics, according to Retno.

“We welcome Saudi Arabia to the ASEAN Family. Together, we must serve as a positive force for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” she said.

In 1976, ASEAN established the TAC as a legally-binding code for inter-state relations within Southeast Asia and beyond. ASEAN has amended the treaty thrice, in 1987, 1998, and 2010, respectively. These amendments aimed to enable accession by states outside Southeast Asia as well as regional organizations whose members are sovereign states, among others. 

Dozens of countries have inked the peace treaty, including the rivaling US and China. ASEAN earlier had mentioned Saudi Arabia’s possible accession to the TAC in a leaders’ statement that came out of the 42nd ASEAN Summit in Labuan Bajo in May. 

According to the leaders’ statement, ASEAN welcomes the growing interest of non-regional countries to sign the TAC. The group also “looks forward” to the accession of Saudi Arabia, Spain, Panama, and Mexico to the TAC.

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