States' actions should be guided by int'l law -- Gazmin

From the Philippine News Agency (May 26): States' actions should be guided by int'l law -- Gazmin

Department of National Defense (DND) Secretary Voltaire Gazmin stressed necessity of having actions of states guided by and in accordance with international law.

He made this comment during the sidelines of the 10th ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) in Vientiane, Lao People’s Democratic Republic on Tuesday.

Gazmin was referring to the Philippines decision to seek arbitration regarding its maritime entitlements in the South China Sea which is also being claimed by China.

He said this is a clear manifestation of having international law being the anchor of a state's actions.

The DND chief also stressed that actions of states should be consistent with their policy pronouncements that they are for promoting regional peace and stability.

"While the Philippines stressed that parties signatory to the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) are bound to abide by ruling of the arbitral tribunal, China conveyed that it will not abide by the court's decision," Gazmin pointed out.

As this develops China's Defense Minister Chang Wanquang alluded to China and ASEAN having shared destiny and conveyed that his country is ready and would support the bloc's development including the central role that it plays in the regional security architecture.

He proposed that practical cooperation should be pursued, suggesting the conduct of military exercises among ASEAN members and China's armed forces in the South China Sea.

At the ADMM sidelines, attending defense ministers all acknowledged the progress on practical cooperation that has been undertaken within the ambit of the group, there was a shared sense that security issues continue to pose challenges to the region's stability. These include maritime security, violent extremism and natural disasters.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=1&sid=&nid=1&rid=888969