PHL, Vietnam affirm importance of peace over Spratlys disputes

(Updated 8:49 p.m.) The Philippines and Vietnam on Wednesday reaffirmed the importance of peace in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) and agreed on a ‘rules-based approach’ to resolve the territorial disputes over the Spralty Islands. In a joint press conference after their expanded bilateral meeting held in Malacañang, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III said they agreed that adhering to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas is essential to the pursuit of a peaceful resolution to the issues through multilateral dialogue and consultations. “We also exchanged information and views on issues relating to the West Philippine Sea/East Sea and reaffirmed the importance of the maintenance of peace, stability, maritime safety and security in the region," Aquino said. “We also emphasized the importance of the full implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed in 2002 by ASEAN countries and China," he added. Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang said his country will support and work closely with the Philippines as well as other ASEAN countries to promote the Philippine’s proposal on the Zone of Peace, Freedom, Friendship and Cooperation to support the implementation of the Declaration of the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea. “We again affirm the importance of the maintenance of peace, stability, security, safety and freedom of navigation in the East Sea to the region as well as to the parties concerned," he said.

The foundation to believe Sang is confident that the substantive and excellent outcome of the talks “give us the foundation to believe that our bilateral ties will be further developed to a new height commensurate with our potential as well as the increasingly high growing position of the two countries in the region." Sang is in the Philippines for a three-day state visit. He will return to Vietnam on Oct. 28. In a separate interview, Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert de Rosario said Vietnam was the first among Spratly claimants to have expressed support to the Philippines’ ZOPFFC. “They are the first ones that we have had a serious discussion with and who have had a serious discussion with us," he said. The ZOPFFC failed to get a consensus at the ASEAN level. As such, the Philippine government is now working on a new initiative to move the West Philippine Sea issue and "find some means of settling the claims." Del Rosario refused to discuss it, beyond saying it will be presented during the Association of South East Asian Nation (ASEAN) Senior Officials’ Meeting in Bali, Indonesia next month. “It’s a new initiative to moving forward so that it’s able to substantiate the DOC (Declaration of Conduct of Parties) implementing guidelines… I think that you should wait for it, and I think you should see the merits of this initiative," he said. — VS, GMA News