Asean has agreed
to formulate the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea before engaging China
on the matter.
Leaders of the regional grouping attending the 20th Asean Summit also
stressed on the need to conduct discussion on the South China Sea should within
the Asean-China framework and welcomed China's readiness to discuss the issue
with Asean nations.
China has said that discussions on the code should not have any
interference from outside parties.
Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said Malaysia regards China's
willingness to engage with Asean on the issue as a positive development and was
all for a peaceful solution to overlapping claims.
However, he said the code should not serve as an instrument to resolve
territorial and jurisdictional disputes in the South China Sea and parties
concerned should resolve it peacefully through existing mechanisms under
international law.
The objective of formulating the code of conduct is aimed at easing
tensions in the South China Sea and to further promote peace and stability in
the region. where there are overlapping claims involving Malaysia, Vietnam,
Philippines, Brunei, China and Taiwan.
Najib said leaders also continued to discuss latest developments in
Myanmar during the Leaders' Retreat where they reaffirmed support for the
political reconciliation process and call on the international community to
recognise and support developments in Myanmar.
“I pointed out the developments clearly shows that Asean's approach is
producing positive results. Malaysia will convey Asean's call for the lifting
of sanctions on Myanmar to the British Prime Minister who will be visiting on
April 12,” he said.
Speaking to the Malaysian media at the end of the summit, the Prime
Minister added that Asean leaders had also expressed willingness to assist
Myanmar towards further democracy and reconciliation.
On the latest development in the Korean peninsula, Najib said Asean
called for the early resumption of the six-party talks.
“Leaders also agree that Asean will continue to constructively engage
North Korea,” he said.
Najib said that during the sixth Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand-Growth
Triangle (IMT-GT) Summit, Malaysia pointed out the need for the relevant
countries to realign their policies and project goals to that of the Asean
Economic Community integration initiatives.
He said that IMT-GT shuld also identify, modify and simplify the
suitablebut unimplemented Asean agreements to be implemented at the
sub-regional level.
Mazwin Nik Aziz
The Star
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