Dear editor,
The thought-provoking article by John J. Metzler entitled "Global horizon in New Year"(Opinion, Jan. 3, 2013) stimulates a fundamental question: what should be done to have a really peaceful 2013 in the Asia-Pacific area, a region in which many strategic miscalculations have been committed in previous and current centuries?
In the light of dramatic lessons generated by history, two different but complementary processes are urgently needed. The first resides in the consolidation of a law-based system of regional relations, and the second in promoting adequate pro-active bilateral and multilateral diplomacy and genuine communication among all Asia-Pacific states.
From a legal perspective, an important diplomatic document entitled ''Declaration of the 6th East Asia Summit (EAS) on the Principles for Mutually Beneficial Relations,'' dated Nov. 19, 2011 offers some useful guidance.
Its 18 co-authors, including the 10 members of ASEAN, as well as Australia, China, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Russia and the U.S. expressed their commitment to the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and other recognized principles of international law.
All 18 EAS participating countries declared themselves willing to create a peaceful environment to further enhance cooperation and strengthen the existing bonds of friendship among them. In keeping with the principles of equality, partnership, consultation and mutual respect, all will contribute to peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world at large.
Moreover, they specifically declared that they are guided in their relations by a number of clear principles of public international law, including inter alia the renunciation of the threat of use of force or use of force against another state, and settlement of differences and disputes by peaceful means.
A diplomatic compass solidly based on clear strategic vision is highly needed in 2013 to guide Asia-Pacific countries toward an exemplary pattern of bilateral and multilateral cooperation. This is an imperative prerequisite for a sustainable regional peace which can contribute to giving true tangibility to the aspiration of universal peace.
Ioan Voicu
Bangkok, Thailand