End Spratly dispute peacefully

End Spratly dispute peacefully

If the unthinkable happens in coming months and there is war
in this region, the conflagration will likely be lit in the
Spratly Islands.

This isolated and inhospitable place, half-way between
southern Vietnam and the Philippines, seems an unlikely prize.
But six nations claim the barren atolls and South China Sea
waters which make up the group.

China, Taiwan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei
all covet the Spratlys for a variety of reasons.

But they all have one desire for the future, and that is to
pump and sell the oil and gas which almost certainly is in rich
supply in the Spratlys.

Wrangling, disputes, fighting and near-war have marked the
last 20 years of the Spratlys.

The last serious fighting was a sea battle between Chinese and
Vietnamese naval forces in 1988 that came dangerously close to
outright warfare.

Since then claimants to the Spratlys have been unable to
resist tweaking the others.

Most recently, China has conducted a flurry of construction in
the archipelago. Peking forces have done little more than
reassert China's claim to the group, but other countries have
taken it badly.

The Philippines navy has seized five Chinese fishing boats for
allegedly operating in disputed waters and dynamited China's
markers.

Taiwan has sent armed patrol boats to the area.

None of these moves are reassuring to the many Spratlys
claimants, or the South and East Asian neighbors. Although there
appears little danger of outright war over the Spratlys for now,
the escalation of tensions is worrying.

On paper and in diplomatic meetings, all six claimants to the
Spratlys are on record as favoring a peaceful, negotiated
settlement to the problem of the islands.

On the ground, and in the many information and propaganda
outlets, it is often a different story.

A cool-headed settlement for the Spratlys Island disputes is
essential for Southeast Asia. Whatever riches may lie below the
controversial group are not worth war.

Whether bilateral or multilateral talks are the chosen method
is up to those involved in the disagreement. It should be clear
that armed conflict is unacceptable.

We must expect all sides to press aggressively on the islands,
but only in diplomatic ways. The claims to the Spratlys must be
settled peacefully.

-- The Bangkok Post