Manila pushes for Spratlys talks<\/p>\n
MANILA (Reuters): The Philippines said on Wednesday it would
\ncontinue pressing for regional talks which include China over the
\ndisputed Spratly islands despite a protest by Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Malaysia said on Wednesday it would not back a Philippine bid
\nto open talks on the Spratlys during the Association of South
\nEast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ministerial meetings this week in
\nSingapore, saying it was not the right forum.<\/p>\n
But Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon told reporters
\nhe would raise the issue with his regional counterparts at the
\nASEAN meetings.<\/p>\n
\"That is their (the Malaysians') view. You have to respect
\ntheir view. We can always talk about it when I get there,\" Siazon
\nsaid before leaving for Singapore for the ASEAN meetings, which
\nofficially begin on Friday.<\/p>\n
Malaysia and the Philippines are among six countries which are
\nclaiming the Spratly islands wholly or in part. The others are
\nVietnam and Brunei -- who are also ASEAN members -- and non-
\nmember China and Taiwan.<\/p>\n
The Spratlys are a cluster of potentially oil rich isles,
\nreefs and atolls in the South China Sea.<\/p>\n
Tensions between Manila and Beijing flared this week after a
\nPhilippine Navy ship sank a Chinese fishing boat in what Manila
\nsaid was an accidental collision near a Philippine-held isle.<\/p>\n
China said its boat was rammed by the Philippine vessel. The
\nboat's 11 crew survived.<\/p>\n
Manila has drafted a code of conduct that would govern the
\nactions of the six claimant nations to help prevent accidental
\nconflicts in the Spratlys, and wants ASEAN to endorse it.<\/p>\n
Malaysia's objections to such discussions scuppered such a
\nplan, diplomatic sources in Singapore said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
\"Among the ASEAN members, it is really just Malaysia now that
\nhas some second thoughts\" about a code of conduct, Siazon said.<\/p>\n
ASEAN also includes Singapore, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia,
\nLaos and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
Although China is not a member of ASEAN, Siazon said its
\nparticipation in any Spratlys arrangement was important \"because
\nit is the biggest country.\"<\/p>\n
The Philippines has been particularly upset by China's
\noccupation of a reef in the Spratlys which Manila claims and its
\nconstruction of what Manila says is a potential military
\ngarrison. China says the facilities are shelters for fishermen.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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