South China Sea workshop to stay informal: Alatas<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia asserted yesterday that it has no
\nintention of upgrading the South China Sea workshop into a inter-
\ngovernmental forum.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas in Batam, Riau, after
\nopening the seventh workshop on managing potential conflicts in
\nthe South China Sea Saturday, told journalists that it would be
\nbetter for the meetings to remain informal and more of an
\nacademic exercise.<\/p>\n
\"This is not possible and was never our intention,\" Alatas was
\nquoted by Antara as saying on the possibility of the workshop
\nbecoming a more formal government forum.<\/p>\n
The workshop is organized by the Indonesian foreign ministry's
\nAgency for Research and Development in cooperation with the
\nCanadian Information Development Agency.<\/p>\n
It brings together experts and officials to discuss ways and
\nmeans of cooperating in the South China Sea.<\/p>\n
The strategically located area, believed to be rich in natural
\nresources, is being disputed by Brunei, China, Malaysia, the
\nPhilippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Apart from representatives from the disputing parties,
\ndelegates from Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and host
\nIndonesia are also participating in the four-day workshop.<\/p>\n
Clinging to the principle of finding mutual areas of
\ncooperation rather than tackling issues of controversy, the
\nworkshop in its past six meetings has only pursued non-political
\nand non-sensitive issues.<\/p>\n
It is hoped the forged cooperation at the non-political level
\nwill seep through to a higher plain and create an atmosphere of
\nconfidence building.<\/p>\n
Last year delegates agreed to forge cooperation in monitoring
\ntide levels while the previous year a similar agreement was made
\non biodiversity.<\/p>\n
Critics however have brushed aside the workshop as being a
\nmere talking-shop. The fact that participants attend and speak on
\na private capacity has been highlighted as a weakness of the
\nforum.<\/p>\n
Alatas argued yesterday that many of the initiatives
\nintroduced by the workshop have been incorporated in the agenda
\nof the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF).<\/p>\n
The ARF is a political security forum hosted by the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations.<\/p>\n
Alatas added that it would be unlikely for the workshop to
\nbecome an inter-governmental forum since Taiwan is a participant.<\/p>\n
Most countries, including Indonesia, adhere to a \"one China\"
\npolicy of only recognizing the government of mainland China.<\/p>\n
Alatas said an atmosphere of cooperation was crucial in toning
\ndown a mood of conflict.<\/p>\n
\"We want to alter the situation of potential conflicts into a
\nsituation conducive to mutually beneficial cooperation,\" he said.<\/p>\n
He further pointed out that while Indonesia is not directly
\ninvolved in the dispute in the South China Sea, the outbreak of
\nconflict could have repercussions for it. (mds)<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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