Alatas proposes cooperation in South China Sea

Alatas proposes cooperation in South China Sea

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia urged countries bordering the South
China Sea yesterday to set aside any territorial disputes they
may have, and start forging cooperation in the area.

"The time has come to begin implementation of the cooperation
projects," Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas told delegates
at the workshop on managing conflicts in the South China Sea,
which got underway in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, yesterday.

Alatas emphasized the importance of forging a formal
cooperation to help ensure a climate of peace and stability in
the region.

Organized by the foreign ministry's Agency for Research and
Development, in cooperation with the Canadian International
Development Agency, the workshop is the sixth Indonesia has
hosted in an attempt to avert potential armed conflicts due to
overlapping territorial claims in the South China Sea.

Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam
lay claim to part or all of the Spratlys, a group of
strategically located islands with potentially rich reserves of
oil and natural gas.

In addition to the six claimants, five countries are taking
part in the workshop: Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and
host Indonesia.

Previous workshops have already identified various areas of
possible cooperation between the 11 countries, including search
and rescue operations, marine research and discussions on marine
law.

Alatas expressed his hope that the appropriate authorities and
agencies in the participating countries would now be more
involved in implementing the proposals.

All participants -- senior government officials and experts --
have so far been taking part in private rather than official
capacities.

Alatas maintained that closer cooperation would assist
conflict management among the countries involved. He strongly
suggested that the delegates take the opportunity to ensure peace
and stability.

"The only question now is whether we have the political will,"
he told the delegates attending the five-day workshop.

Indonesia's ambassador-at-large for maritime affairs, Hasjim
Djalal, last week reminded that countries in the South China Sea
have more experience in fighting with each other than
cooperating. It is the objective of this workshop to build
confidence for that cooperation, he explained.

Alatas also firmly rejected suggestions that the previous five
workshops failed to produce any results, Antara reported in a
dispatch from Balikpapan.

"In my mind the workshop has already recorded substantial
achievements," he maintained.

Just a few months ago a flare-up nearly broke out between
China and the Philippines over one of the islands. However,
Beijing recently gave a guarantee to Alatas that it will not
resort to force and will settle its claims based on international
conventions.

"It is being said in some circles that this workshop has
reached a plateau and may well become a mere talk-shop ... I
disagree with that assessment," Alatas contended.

Yesterday's meeting continued with a progress report and
recommendations from the various committees for the technical
meeting on safety, navigation, shipping and communications.

"I hope this workshop will act upon these recommendations,"
said Soendaroe Rachmad, the head of the research and development
agency who also presides over one of the committees.(mds)