Indonesian foreign minister Marty Natalegawa called for a new treaty spanning across Asia to curb the onset of conflict amid simmering tensions in the region.

On Thursday while on a visit to Washington, Natalegawa proposed an “Indo-Pacific-Wide Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation” that would build trust and encourage cooperation among Asian countries, reports AFP.

The far-reaching treaty could help end “the all-too-familiar vicious cycle of tensions” in Asia, which could lead to a greater conflict.

He also said the Indo-Pacific region, a key engine of world growth, did not want “the unchecked preponderance of a single state”.

“Instead, peace and stability in the region ought to be brought about through the promotion of an outlook that speaks of common security, common prosperity and common stability,” he told the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Amid maritime disputes in the Asian region, Natalegawa called for nations to be upfront about frictions and acknowledge territorial disputes, so as not to “attempt create new realities on the ground or at sea”.