Workshop on South China Sea

Workshop on South China Sea

The workshop on Managing Conflicts in the South China Sea has
been held six times in Indonesia. The workshop -- initially
intended to set aside any territorial disputes into peaceful and
beneficial cooperation among the claimant countries: Brunei,
China, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam toward the
potential rich reserves of oil and natural gas -- is very
meaningful for the Confidence Building Measures (CBM) among
claimant countries.

Moreover, the Indonesian government's efforts in attracting
the claimant countries to talk and discuss potential cooperations
through peace in a cooperative manner is admitted as a positive
and productive contribution toward maintaining peace and security
in the region.

Although the results of these workshops have no chance of
immediate implementation by the respective claimant countries,
they will be submitted by the participants -- most of them are
senior government officials taking part in private rather than
official capacity -- to their respective governments and the
recommendations will be adopted as a policy pertinent to the
ideals of the workshop.

Personally, I see that these workshops have a number of good
points:

1. In the post cold war period where balancing power is
considered relevant, Indonesia's initiation of the meeting, by
facilitating the claimant countries to set aside the seed of
confrontation, will certainly contribute toward more balanced
power in the region. In particular by reducing and avoiding
hostilities that could be more harmful to the region if force was
used.

2. The substance of the ongoing workshop is seen as
productive, such as marine cooperation leading to the development
of marine technology with its economic benefits.

3. The holding of the workshop is in accordance with
establishing international law, in particular the internationally
recognized UNCLOS 1982, which is close to the objective of
article 301, part XVI, in the way of promoting international
cooperation. It will contribute to implementation of the UNCLOS
1982 and will indirectly make the provisions on the UNCLOS
familiar among the international participants.

For these positive points the workshops should be considered
as an important step and deserve to be followed by the political
will of the claimant countries in their respect for the noble
objectives of peace and security in the region.

AMAR MAKRUF

Depok, West Java