China reluctant to join project on biodiversity
China reluctant to join project on biodiversity
JAKARTA (JP): Most participants of a regional meeting to
discuss cooperation in the South China Sea agreed to launch a
joint research project on biodiversity resources in the area, but
the project may be delayed by China's reluctance to take part.
The workshop on "Managing Potential Conflicts in the South
China Sea" in Batam, Riau, broke up Monday with most of the 11
participating countries agreeing to launch the biodiversity
research project in January, Antara said.
Participants from China, Laos and Cambodia did not make any
commitments, saying they had to refer to their respective
governments first, the news agency said.
"We're ready to enter the phase of implementing various
cooperation programs, especially the biodiversity project," said
Hasyim Djalal, a senior Indonesian diplomat who chaired the
workshop. Some participants were even prepared to finance the
project, Djalal said.
He described the meeting as "rather difficult" but
participants reached a compromise in which most stated their
readiness to jointly implement the project, pending decisions
from their respective governments.
The meeting is the seventh held by Indonesia to try to turn
the South China Sea, where there are overlapping territorial
claims, from a zone of potential conflict into one of
cooperation.
China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines and Brunei
each claim all or part of the Spratly Islands which many experts
believe may be rich in oil and gas resources. China and Vietnam
are also disputing the Paracel Islands to the north.
Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia -- although
they have no territorial disputes in the area -- have been taking
part in the meetings.
The series of workshops, in which participants come in their
private rather than official capacities, have produced a number
of proposals since the first workshop was launched in 1990.
The Batam meeting agreed on the biodiversity project, with
discussions slated to start next year, Antara said. The news
agency did not say whether the project could start without
China's participation.
Sources at the meeting said China tried to delay the
implementation of the project, which was drawn up by a technical
working group in Cebu, the Philippines, in July.
"If China doesn't agree, this is a setback," one participant
was quoted by Antara as saying.
Enthusiasm about the workshop remained high, with some
participants offering to host some of the working group meetings.
China is to host the working group meeting on environmental
conservation and Thailand will host a meeting on maritime law.
(swe/emb)