Newsgroups: bit.listserv.seasia-l
Date:         Sat, 25 Jul 1992 06:29:03 PDT
From:         "Indonesia Publications/Task Force" <apakabar@IGC.APC.ORG>
Subject:      SEA: Spratlys' Conduct Code
X-To:         seasia-l@msu.edu

/* Written 12:10 am  Jul 25, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "SOUTH-EAST ASIA: INTERNATIONAL CODE" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: SOUTH-EAST ASIA: INTERNATIONAL CODE OF CONDUCT URGED FOR SPRATLYS


manila, jul 22 (ips/ramon isberto) -- in a bid to restrain china's
territorial claims in the south china sea, the association of south-
east asian nations (asean) wednesday urged claimant countries to
establish an international code of conduct for the disputed region.

the foreign ministers of asean's six member states made the call
in a special declaration issued at the end of their annual
ministerial meeting in manila.

the two-day talks were dominated by the growing concern that
overlapping claims by six countries -- including asean members
brunei, malaysia and the philippines -- to the spratly islands may
upset regional peace and stability.

''any adverse development in the south china sea directly affects
peace and security in the region,'' the ministers said in a
communique, also issued after the meeting. they urged all parties to
exercise self-restraint to create a positive climate for the
resolution of the dispute.

tensions have risen in recent months as china took unilateral
moves to assert its claims to the spratlys, believed to lie in the
middle of rich undersea oil deposits.

asean ministers raised these concerns at their meeting with
chinese foreign minister qian qichen who reassured them that china
sought a peaceful resolution of the dispute. qian also urged asean
to set aside formal talks on the issue for a later date.

in keeping with its own diplomacy, asean appears to have gone
along with chinese suggestions that the dispute is best dealt with
in low-key, unofficial discussions.

the ministers' communique said the ''informal and unofficial
format'' of three workshops held so far between representatives of
claimant countries had enabled ''open and frank'' discussions to
take place.

but in both the joint communique and its special declaration, the
asean ministers called on all parties to apply the principles of
asean's treaty of amity and cooperation ''as the basis for
establishing an international code of conduct over the area''.

analysts said this was in line with proposals that asean press
for the holding of an international conference on the spratlys row.

such a move, they said, would give asean diplomatic leverage to
at least partially offset china's military superiority over the
other claimant states.

''the declaration can be the start for the holding of future
dialogues on a bilateral and multilateral basis,'' said philippine
foreign minister raul manglapus. (more/ips)



south-east asia: international (2)

significantly, vietnamese foreign minister nguyen manh cam
immediately issued a statement fully backing the 'asean declaration
on the south china sea', saying it was ''in conformity with the
principles and policies that vietnam has been pursuing''.

hanoi has protested beijing's assertion of sovereignty over areas
in the south china sea that vietnam also claims as its own. china
and vietnam fought naval skirmishes in the spratlys in 1988.

in their communique, the asean ministers also expressed support
for cambodia's embattled supreme national council, which has run
into difficulties with the khmer rouge in implementing the u.n.-
sponsored peace plan agreed last october.

they expressed disappointment over the failure of the group of
seven (g-7) summit in munich this month to settle the dispute over
farm subsidies, which has long stalled the uruguay round of global
trade talks.

the ministers also backed proposals for a ''major write-off of
debts'' by official donors, commercial banks and multilateral
institutions to ease the debt burden of developing countries.

this year's asean ministerial meeting had the longest guest list
ever, indicating the regional grouping's growing global importance.

the foreign ministers of vietnam and laos attended to formally
hand over their respective instruments of accession to the asean
treaty of amity and cooperation, the first step toward full
membership. next year, the two indochinese states will attend as
observers.

russian foreign minister andrei kozyrev and china's qian were
also present as guests. an envoy of papua new guinea attended as
special observer.

later this week, the asean ministers are scheduled to meet with
the foreign ministers of their seven dialogue partners -- the united
states, japan, the european community, canada, australia, new
zealand and south korea.

for the first time in these so-called post-ministerial meetings,
asean will formally discuss security issues, a subject that has long
been taboo for the group. (end/ips/ri/ln/92)
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