KL tears down Spratly buildings

KL tears down Spratly buildings

MANILA (AP): Malaysia has dismantled structures its navy
erected on a shoal claimed by the Philippines in the South China
Sea's disputed Spratly Islands, the Department of Foreign Affairs
said yesterday.

The structures were removed from the shoal earlier this month
after Philippine Foreign Secretary Domingo Siazon and Malaysian
Foreign Minister Abdullah Haji Ahmad Badawi discussed the matter,
a department statement said.

Internationally known as Investigator Shoal, the area is
called "Pawikan" by the Philippines, which says it belongs to the
Kalayaan Group of Islands, a cluster of islands, islets and
shoals in the Spratly archipelago claimed by Manila.

The Spratlys, believed to be atop vast deposits of oil,
natural gas and minerals, are claimed wholly or in part by
Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam.