Tough talks ahead over Spratlys

Tough talks ahead over Spratlys

MANILA (AP): Long and difficult negotiations will be needed to persuade China to endorse a draft "code of conduct" adopted by Southeast Asian officials to limit conflicts over disputed territories in the South China Sea, a Philippine official said on Friday.

The draft was finalized late on Wednesday by senior officials from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which holds its annual leaders' summit in Manila this weekend.

ASEAN officials presented the draft code on Thursday to China, which is among six governments with conflicting claims to the Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. Chinese officials agreed to take a copy but did not indicate whether the draft was acceptable.

Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Lauro Baja said ASEAN does not expect China to endorse the code this week.