Tensions over Spratlys shouldn't lead to war, says American general

Political tensions surrounding the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea should not lead to combat operations, a visiting US military official said in an interview, and reiterated that America strongly supports the Philippines based on the existing Mutual Defense Treaty. Gen. Gary L. North, commander of the US Pacific Air Forces, is now in the Philippines giving Philippine Air Force (PAF) officials a security assessment on the as well the situation in the Spratlys. In assessing the rising conflict in the Spratly Islands, "what is important is the understanding of intent of nations," the general said. North said There are nations with either very strong military or civilian leadership. "(But) sometimes there are unsynchronized events and processes," he said. "Our two nations [US and the Philippines] share a long history of 60 years of common understanding and support based on the Mutual Defense Treaty. The relationship remains very strong and we hope conflict [in the South China Sea] will never come to combat operations," North said in an interview Wednesday night at the Makati residence of US ambassador to the Philippines Harry Thomas. Thomas hosted a dinner for Commander North with senior officials of the US Special Forces, Joint US Military Assistance Group, and officials of the PAF led by chief of staff Lt. Gen. Eduardo Oban. The Philippines has lodged complaints against China's increasing presence and military activities in the Spratly Islands which — it is believed — rich in oil and mineral resources. Other claimants to the whole and parts of the island group are Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei. Respect military boundaries North urged the claimant nations to remain transparent and respect military boundaries. He emphasized that “the last [thing] military officials want is to commit to combat operations." The US government is closely monitoring not only how the brewing tensions are developing among countries claiming territorial sovereignty over the Spratlys but also developments involving civilian, commerce, industry activities and transnational crimes such as piracy, human trafficking, and illicit fishing, North said. "We are monitoring the world and we are closely monitoring the Pacific region," said Commander North. "We hope the situation [in the Spratly Islands] will never escalate and that there will be no hostilities…" he added The claimant nations are signatories to the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea — signed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China that they should use their ability to hold dialogue and prevent the current conflict from escalating further, said North. Lt. Gen. Oban meanwhile said that the Philippine armed forces is tasked to protect the country's claim over parts of the Spratlys, but maintained that the situation should be resolved "peacefully and diplomatically." As an archipelagic nation, the Philippines has limited capacity to monitor, detect and place its shores under surveillance, a situation that extends to enforcing maritime laws, the Filipino general said.. "With or without (threats) from China, we should invest more in strengthening and upgrading our capacity to protect our territorial and maritime claims," said Oban. — VS, GMA News