Manila Times (Philippines)
NEW YORK CITY: Regional security and the sensitive Spratly Islands dispute will be top on the agenda during a summit meeting on Friday among leaders of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the United States.
US President Barack Obama and the Asean heads of government, including President Benigno Aquino 3rd, will meet also on Friday at the sidelines of the ongoing 65th United Nations General Assembly meeting here.
Diplomatic sources said that the leaders’ meeting would tackle the Spratlys territorial dispute within the ambit of maritime security and under the broad agenda on “Maintenance of Regional Stability.”
Four Asean members—the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei—and Asian economic and military power China and Taiwan have overlapping claims to the Spratly Islands, a chain of small islands in the South China Sea that encompass existing world navigational routes.
Asean also groups Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.
The overlapping claims flared into armed skirmishes in the past and are considered a potential flashpoint that could involve the world’s major powers.
The Philippines, a treaty ally of the United States, on Tuesday said that it was pushing through with a plan to develop Pag-asa Island, a part of the Spratlys group, into a tourist spot.
The country occupies nine of the islands in the disputed Spratlys chain, which China refers to as Nansha Islands.
Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said that major repairs are being done on an existing airstrip and the pier on the main island of Pag-asa.
China and the other claimants maintain garrisons on some of the islands they occupy, and although there have been no major flare-ups lately, the conflicting claims have contributed to regional tension.
The United States, the world only remaining superpower, keeps a very keen interest in the Spratlys because of their impact on existing navigational routes and, therefore, on global security.
In Manila, VERA Files this week reported that the leaders’ summit here will take up, among other items in the agenda, “Regional Architecture and Plans for the Future” that will cover US eventual participation in the East Asia Summit (EAS).
Another agenda item, “Economic Cooperation,” calls for collective participation among countries in Trans-Pacific Partnership and other areas of Asean-US economic collaboration.
In the draft joint statement of the 2nd Asean-US Leaders Meeting prepared by the US, the leaders are expected to “oppose the use or threat of force by any claimant attempting to enforce disputed claims in the SCS [South China Sea],” the report said.
Asean, however, prefers to limit the text to “reaffirming the importance of freedom of navigation, regional peace and stability, unimpeded commerce in respect for relevant universally agreed principles of international law and the peaceful settlement of dispute in the SCS,” it added.
The regional bloc and the US favor full implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and encourage eventual conclusion of a regional code of conduct in the SCS.
Asean, which usually takes a common stand in its dealings with world powers such as the US and China, is seeking an agreement with Beijing on issues related to the Spratlys.
Among the points that Asean and China have agreed to is a declaration to “exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability.”
Such broad language includes a call on those involved to refrain from inhabiting islands that are now unoccupied and to “handle their differences in a constructive manner.”
The Spratlys comprise more than 750 reefs, islets, atolls and islands in the South China Sea between the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam and China.
Taken together, the islands have less than four square kilometers of land area, but they are spread in more than 425,000 square kilometers of sea that cover strategic sea lanes.
The island chain is mostly uninhabited, but they offer rich fishing grounds.
Initial seismic surveys indicate the disputed areas contain significant oil and gas deposits.
About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of troops from China, the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Brunei has claimed an exclusive economic zone in the southeastern part of the Spratlys encompassing just one area of small islands on Louisa Reef.
US President Barack Obama and the Asean heads of government, including President Benigno Aquino 3rd, will meet also on Friday at the sidelines of the ongoing 65th United Nations General Assembly meeting here.
Diplomatic sources said that the leaders’ meeting would tackle the Spratlys territorial dispute within the ambit of maritime security and under the broad agenda on “Maintenance of Regional Stability.”
Four Asean members—the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei—and Asian economic and military power China and Taiwan have overlapping claims to the Spratly Islands, a chain of small islands in the South China Sea that encompass existing world navigational routes.
Asean also groups Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore and Thailand.
The overlapping claims flared into armed skirmishes in the past and are considered a potential flashpoint that could involve the world’s major powers.
The Philippines, a treaty ally of the United States, on Tuesday said that it was pushing through with a plan to develop Pag-asa Island, a part of the Spratlys group, into a tourist spot.
The country occupies nine of the islands in the disputed Spratlys chain, which China refers to as Nansha Islands.
Brig. Gen. Jose Mabanta, spokesman for the Armed Forces of the Philippines, said that major repairs are being done on an existing airstrip and the pier on the main island of Pag-asa.
China and the other claimants maintain garrisons on some of the islands they occupy, and although there have been no major flare-ups lately, the conflicting claims have contributed to regional tension.
The United States, the world only remaining superpower, keeps a very keen interest in the Spratlys because of their impact on existing navigational routes and, therefore, on global security.
In Manila, VERA Files this week reported that the leaders’ summit here will take up, among other items in the agenda, “Regional Architecture and Plans for the Future” that will cover US eventual participation in the East Asia Summit (EAS).
Another agenda item, “Economic Cooperation,” calls for collective participation among countries in Trans-Pacific Partnership and other areas of Asean-US economic collaboration.
In the draft joint statement of the 2nd Asean-US Leaders Meeting prepared by the US, the leaders are expected to “oppose the use or threat of force by any claimant attempting to enforce disputed claims in the SCS [South China Sea],” the report said.
Asean, however, prefers to limit the text to “reaffirming the importance of freedom of navigation, regional peace and stability, unimpeded commerce in respect for relevant universally agreed principles of international law and the peaceful settlement of dispute in the SCS,” it added.
The regional bloc and the US favor full implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea and encourage eventual conclusion of a regional code of conduct in the SCS.
Asean, which usually takes a common stand in its dealings with world powers such as the US and China, is seeking an agreement with Beijing on issues related to the Spratlys.
Among the points that Asean and China have agreed to is a declaration to “exercise self-restraint in the conduct of activities that would complicate or escalate disputes and affect peace and stability.”
Such broad language includes a call on those involved to refrain from inhabiting islands that are now unoccupied and to “handle their differences in a constructive manner.”
The Spratlys comprise more than 750 reefs, islets, atolls and islands in the South China Sea between the Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam and China.
Taken together, the islands have less than four square kilometers of land area, but they are spread in more than 425,000 square kilometers of sea that cover strategic sea lanes.
The island chain is mostly uninhabited, but they offer rich fishing grounds.
Initial seismic surveys indicate the disputed areas contain significant oil and gas deposits.
About 45 islands are occupied by relatively small numbers of troops from China, the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia.
Brunei has claimed an exclusive economic zone in the southeastern part of the Spratlys encompassing just one area of small islands on Louisa Reef.
3 comments:
Why Khmer Preah Vihear is not on the agenda ?
Once again, Hun Sen missed the opportunity to expose the siameses' intention to steal our land and temple, for the whole world to see. Very sad indeed.
Because Hun Sen don't speak English and Obama doesn't speak Khme, dumbass 7:25 AM
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