New US State secretarty backs PHL decision to bring dispute with China before UN tribunal

From the Philippine News Agency (Feb 14): New US State secretarty backs PHL decision to bring dispute with China before UN tribunal

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry supports the Philippine government’s decision last month to bring the disputes with China on overlapping South China Sea claims before a U.N. arbitration tribunal, emphasizing the need to resolve the long-simmering conflicts peacefully on the basis of international law, Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario said Thursday.

Del Rosario said Kerry, whom he spoke with over the phone Wednesday night, gave his support for the efforts of the Philippines to resolve the conflicting claims through the rule of law, particularly the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

UNCLOS is a 1982 accord by 163 countries that aims to govern the use of offshore areas and sets territorial limits of coastal states. The Philippines and China are both signatories to the treaty.

Kerry’s backing is the most important and so far the most high-profile support the Philippine government’s legal action against China has received, although US officials have repeatedly emphasized they would not take sides in the territorial disputes involving China, the Philippines and other claimants to the South China Sea territories.

The South China Sea, part of which is known in the Philippines as West Philippine Sea, is dotted with islands, shoals, cays, reefs and rock formations and is believed to be rich in oil and natural gas.  Analysts feared the conflicts involving the China, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan, could be Asia's next flashpoint.

Del Rosario said he emphasized to Kerry the importance of the Philippine initiative on the future stability of the region and the future efficacy of international law in general. He said Kerry, who recently took over the post vacated by Hillary Clinton, is fully supportive of UNCLOS and was one of its strongest advocates in the U.S. Senate.

“Secretary Kerry was a moving force behind a Senate resolution on the peaceful settlement of disputes in the West Philippine Sea,” he said.  During the phone call, Kerry also emphasized his personal closeness to the Philippines and his determination to further enhancing ties between Manila and Washington. Both officials agreed to further cooperation that would help build the capacity of the Philippines to defend its territory and people.

“We exchange views on the implementation of our agreed policy of increased rotational presence, enhanced exercises and capacity building,” Del Rosario said.

Recently, the US military has intensified the deployment of its modern fleets of aircraft, ship and submarines to Australia, Japan, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam and other Asian countries as part of its ongoing efforts to reassert its presence and clout as an Asia Pacific power after years of preoccupation in the war in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The Philippines and the U.S. have a 61-year-old Mutual Defense Treaty or MDT. Washington has repeatedly pledged to comply with commitments under the MDT that binds the US to help defend the Philippines if it comes under attack from any external force.

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