Indonesia to help maintain peace in South China Sea

Indonesia to help maintain peace in South China Sea

JAKARTA (JP): Minister of Foreign Affairs Alwi Shihab
reiterated on Monday Indonesia's commitment to help maintain
stability in the South China Sea despite the country's financial
shortage.

"As the new foreign affairs minister, I guarantee that
Indonesia will stay with its commitment to endorse peace,
stability and cooperation in the region to prevent the occurrence
or repetition of conflict there," Alwi said, referring to the
long-standing dispute over the Spratly islands.

Alwi was addressing participants of the 10th workshop on the
South China Sea conflict in Bogor, West Java, which is being
organized by the Research and Development Agency.

Eight member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) -- Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, Brunei, the
Philippines, Malaysia, Laos and Indonesia -- plus Taiwan and
China are represented in the three-day event, Antara reported.

Alwi asserted that even in the midst of the economic crisis,
the Indonesian government would stick to its foreign policy,
which is to endorse peace in the world, in response to security
concerns in the region.

The Spratlys, the reputedly mineral rich archipelago, have
been claimed in whole or in part by China, Taiwan and ASEAN
members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam.

The islands are also the subject of the rival claims in the
South China Sea.

To settle the problems, ASEAN last month called on the
disputed countries to support the 'code of conduct' to prevent
clashes and to ease tension in the area. However, China appears
to have ignored the agreement.

Participants, who consist of government officials, experts and
academics, will discuss the possibility of developing cooperation
and preventing further conflict in the area. (04)