ID :
374419
Tue, 07/14/2015 - 05:39
Auther :

Better To Solve South China Sea Dispute As A Bloc - EU Envoy

By Nur Ashikin Abdul Aziz KUALA LUMPUR, July 14 (Bernama) -- ASEAN member countries involved in the South China Sea dispute should consider solving the issue as a regional bloc rather than on individual basis, said European Union (EU) Ambassador and Head of Delegation to Malaysia Luc Vandebon. Based on the concept that "ten voices are stronger than one," he believes the claimants would benefit more if they approached the issue in this manner. He said this at a briefing on ASEAN-EU relations held at the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) headquarters, here Monday. The ASEAN countries involved in the overlapping claims in the South China Sea are the Philippines, Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia while other claimants are China and Taiwan. It was reported that the Philippines case against China was being heard in the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, in which Manila since 2013 wanted to establish its rights to exploit waters in a 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea. Reports said that China, which claims 90 per cent of the South China Sea, believed to be rich in oil and gas, refused to take part in the arbitration process, claiming that the tribunal does not have a jurisdiction to hear the case and insisted on using bilateral talks with the Philippines to solve the issue. Reports also said that China has been aggressive in its reclamation works in the South China Sea, including building an airstrip suitable for military use in the Spratly Islands. China said according to international law, it has every right not to accept the arbitration initiated by the Philippines, adding that the disputes are principally territorial disputes over islands, which are not covered by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Vandebon who was posted here in 2012 highlighted that the EU has legitimate rights to be concerned with the ongoing crisis in the South China Sea as the bloc actively participates in trade with ASEAN. "About 50 per cent of the world's tonnage in shipping is through South China Sea and we are involved in export-import with the ASEAN bloc, so of course we want peace and stability in the area," Vandebon said. On the immigrants crisis in Southeast Asia, he said that the EU appreciated the positive efforts taken by the region to solve the issue involving Rohingyas, including ASEAN's initiative to establish a humanitarian fund for the displaced group. "We in Europe are very happy that they decide to let these people come to shore. In Europe we have always given priority to rescue them at sea. It's an issue where Europe's solidarity is visible," he said. Vandebon stressed that efforts to overcome the migrants issue and the relevant process involved should not be the responsibility of a single country, instead it should be a collective effort. On the EU-ASEAN relations, the ambassador said that under the recently established Joint Communication to the European Parliament and the Council, the EU had agreed to strengthen its relationship with ASEAN with a strategic purpose. Among the key areas include strengthening connectivity between the two regions, boosting trade, investment and business, transport, people-to-people contact, greener partnership for a sustainable future and cooperation on political and security issues. EU became ASEAN's dialogue partner in 1977 and is ASEAN's third largest trading partner. --BERNAMA

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