Antara, Jakarta | Mon, 07/18/2011 9:09 PM A | A | A | - Klipping the Jakarta Post
Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa says he hopes two upcoming high-level ASEAN meetings will help resolve competing territorial claims to parts of the South China Sea.
Indonesia will host the 44th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting and the 18th ASEAN Regional Forum on July 16-23.
China and ASEAN member nations such as the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei Darussalam and Malaysia have an ongoing dispute on several parts of the South China Sea, including the oil-and-gas rich Spratly and Paracel Islands.
“In a meeting with Brunei Darussalam Foreign Minister Mohamed Bolkiah this morning we agreed to discuss further the guidance of implementation of the Declaration of Conduct (DOC) that was agreed to by the concerned parties 10 years ago,” Marty said Monday as quoted by Antara.
“I hope during this Bali meeting the guidance for the DoC can be materialized,” Marty said after a joint cooperation commission meeting between Indonesia and Brunei Darussalam on Monday morning.
Marty said concerned countries had to implement the DoC as soon as possible to prevent potential South China Sea conflicts.
A Filipino plan to bring its dispute before the United Nations would not be a problem, Marty said.
“There are some mechanisms for all countries to settle their international problems whether through bilateral or multilateral settlements. I think there is nothing wrong with that as long as they complement each other,” he said.
It was most important for ASEAN countries to create a conducive situation for resolving the South China Sea conflict, he said.
Separately ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said the conflict had raised international concerns since the South China Sea straddled global trade routes.
Surin urged all the parties to agree to DoC guidance. “I’m sure we can settle this issue. Let’s prove to the world that ASEAN and China can settle their conflicts peacefully.”
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| | | | | | | | Comments (1)
US-China show down | Tue, 19/07/2011 - 09:07am
The best article
The other thing not to forget is that both Vietnam and the Philippines want the US involved in the negotiations largely because the US is really the only country that can counter China's massive economic power and also counter China's position of power via their position as permanent member the UN security council with veto rights.
It must not be forgotten that America also has a significant diaspora of Vietnamese Americans and Filipino Americans that will be pressing the US government to maintain their involvement to ensure that Vietnam and the Philippines get their fair share.
The Americans are not stupid, they didn't open their country up to everyone from around the world for no reason. Sure the average American has paid a price for this, been pushed aside and passed over. But the benefit has been that America can take anybody from around the world and make them their own, make them American. In this I think America has succeeded.
Don't be surprised if the Vietnamese and Filipino interests in the South China sea are strongly supported by some very smart Vietnamese American and Filipino American representatives from the US.
What does America get in return for their support? Firstly and most importantly they will strengthen their already strong relationship with the Philippines and they will help repair the damaged relationship with Vietnam. Secondly the US multinationals will be given the role of helping Vietnam and the Philippines develop their national oil companies who will develop the significant oil and gas resources of the region.
All the countries of the region will need to be involved but, ultimately the South China Sea will be a show down between Chinese political and economic might & US political and economic might. I don't think the military aspect needs to come into it and I don't think it will come into it. I think both the US and the Chinese are sensible enough to ensure this doesn't happen.
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