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)