ISTANBUL 

Defense chiefs of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their partners urged greater dialogue and cooperation to foster peace, security, and prosperity during a three-day summit in Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur.

The ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting Plus, held from Friday to Sunday, brought together defense ministers from ASEAN member states and eight partner countries — the US, China, Russia, Australia, India, Japan, South Korea, and New Zealand.

In a joint statement released Saturday, the defense chiefs reaffirmed the need to uphold international law, including the UN Charter, and stressed that both Southeast Asia and the wider world are facing intensifying geopolitical tensions, conflicts, and economic challenges. They said these shared problems, along with emerging and transboundary threats, require “collective collaboration for peace.”

The statement welcomed the “consistent and positive contributions” of dialogue partners in “enhancing ASEAN Member States’ capacity and preparedness to address current and emerging security challenges.”

It also emphasized “the importance of fostering an environment that promotes peace, security, prosperity and adherence to the rule of law for all by encouraging a culture of dialogue and habit of consultations, and engaging in substantive, practical and tangible cooperation to strengthen mutual trust and confidence.”