ASEAN says it will deal as one with China in sea dispute
Phnom Penh - The secretary general of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (ASEAN) said Monday the 10-member group would deal jointly with China in trying to resolve the ongoing dispute over the South China Sea.
Surin Pitsuwan's comments followed a statement Monday by the Philippines- an ASEAN member with its own claims to parts of the sea -in which Manila insisted on a united ASEAN approach with Beijing.
The Philippines' Albert del Rosario told his fellow foreign ministers that a draft code of conduct governing the sea should move forward "not merely in terms of form, but more importantly in substance," and emphasized "the primacy of international law in resolving the disputes."
The code of conduct was drawn up a decade ago but has yet to be finalized.
"On the (code of conduct) it is important for ASEAN to first agree among themselves on the draft text ... before meeting with China," del Rosario said.
China lays an all-encompassing claim to the South China Sea, a vital shipping lane that is also believed to be rich in oil and mineral resources. Malaysia, Vietnam and Brunei - all ASEAN members – also claim overlapping parts of the area.//DPA
