Spratlys threatens regional security

Spratlys threatens regional security

CANBERRA (Reuter): The territorial row over the Spratlys, a potentially oil-rich island chain claimed by some of Asia's leading military powers, poses a major threat to regional security, Australian Defense Minister Robert Ray said yesterday.

"It is, apart from the Korean peninsula, the most volatile and risky security situation that exists in our region," Ray told the National Press Club.

"It exists because of the potential, I suspect, not only of national pride, but the possible discovery of oil," he said. "The best thing for the world would be that there be no oil."

The Spratlys, a group of mostly barren isles and partly submerged reefs, straddles strategic sea lanes in the South China Sea. Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam claim all or some of the group.

Ray said a series of informal workshops hosted by Indonesia over the past few years were constructive in heading off conflict in the Spratlys.

"I think the Indonesian mediation, setting up the workshops, is a very constructive step," he said.

Earlier this year, Beijing and Manila became embroiled in a military stand-off and diplomatic row over rival claims in the Spratlys.

Chinese and Vietnamese warships clashed in the Spratlys in the late 1980s.

Ray would not give an assessment of China's military threat over the Spratlys, but said it would be hard for the other claimants to accept Beijing's claim.