Foreign Affairs Secretary clarifies statement on sharing resources in WPS

From Update.Ph (Jul 9): Foreign Affairs Secretary clarifies statement on sharing resources in WPS

Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay made a clarification on a report quoting him saying that Philippines can share resources, which include fish and natural gas, in the disputed part of West Philippine Sea to other claimant countries.

“What I said is we have to wait for the ruling and study and dissect its implications,” the Foreign Affairs chief said Saturday.

“As the ruling will not address sovereignty and delimitation, it is possible that some time in the future, claimant countries might consider entering into arrangements such as joint exploration and utilization of resources in disputed areas that do not prejudice the parties’ claims and delimitation of boundaries in accordance with UNCLOS,” he added.

The Tribunal at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague, Netherlands is scheduled to issue decision on case filed by the Philippines against China’s sovereignty claim over virtually the entire South China Sea with its nine-dash line.

http://www.update.ph/2016/07/foreign-affairs-secretary-clarifies-statement-on-sharing-resources-in-wps/7225