Aquino reiterates call to avoid threat or use of force in settling disputes

From the Philippine News Agency (Nov 19): Aquino reiterates call to avoid threat or use of force in settling disputes
President Benigno Aquino III Monday reiterated his call on all parties to avoid threat and the use of force, and to adhere to the principles of international laws in settling disputes among nations. In his intervention during the ASEAN+3 Summit in Phnom Penh, Aquino said among the principles the ASEAN community has pledged to abide by "is that of centrality." He stressed this should "also be foremost in our minds as we address concerns in the East Asian maritime region. Prevailing tensions in the area stand to impact regional peace and stability." The President noted that as ASEAN member countries are bound by shared aspirations, "so too are we bound by shared responsibilities. The challenges that we shirk from today will be the ones that plague us tomorrow." "We reiterate our call on all parties concerned to avoid the threat or use of force, and to adhere to universally recognized principles of international law in settling disputes, particularly those under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), because respect for the rule of law remains the great equalizer in the relations among nations," he stressed. Aquino said conversely, in the absence of clear rules for everyone to follow, "tensions do not subside but only remain dormant." ....

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