Friday, 20 July 2012
Vong Sokheng and David Boyle
Phnom Penh Post 
Indonesian
Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa (left) talks to his Cambodian
counterpart Hor Namhong (facing away) during a meeting in Phnom Penh
yesterday. Photograph: Meng Kimlong/Phnom Penh Post
In what
he described as intensive “shuttle diplomacy” to restore ASEAN consensus
on the South China Sea dispute, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty
Natalegawa touched down in Phnom Penh yesterday following trips to
Manila and Hanoi in the past 36 hours.
Stopping off before heading to Singapore, Natalegawa met with Cambodia Foreign Minister and current ASEAN chair Hor Namhong to thrash out the details of a statement on the issue that polarised member countries and China during last week’s ASEAN Regional Forum in Phnom Penh.
“We, ASEAN foreign ministers, agreed in principle on a number of issues over the South China Sea issue,” Namhong told reporters afterward.
Namhong provided no details of the agreements, but said he hoped to release a statement today pending approval from all 10 ASEAN foreign ministers.
Negotiations on a Code of Conduct to tackle competing claims over the South China Sea broke down during the summit and led to the failure of the 10-country bloc to issue a final joint communiqué for the first time in its 45-year history.
But Natalegawa told reporters he had spoken to all ASEAN foreign ministers bar one and said there was consensus on the basic principles of tackling the South China Sea.
“The fact is, despite suggestions to the contrary … ASEAN remains united, ASEAN remains cohesive and therefore, ASEAN remains able to fulfil its role in the central and driving seat in our region,” he said.
Stopping off before heading to Singapore, Natalegawa met with Cambodia Foreign Minister and current ASEAN chair Hor Namhong to thrash out the details of a statement on the issue that polarised member countries and China during last week’s ASEAN Regional Forum in Phnom Penh.
“We, ASEAN foreign ministers, agreed in principle on a number of issues over the South China Sea issue,” Namhong told reporters afterward.
Namhong provided no details of the agreements, but said he hoped to release a statement today pending approval from all 10 ASEAN foreign ministers.
Negotiations on a Code of Conduct to tackle competing claims over the South China Sea broke down during the summit and led to the failure of the 10-country bloc to issue a final joint communiqué for the first time in its 45-year history.
But Natalegawa told reporters he had spoken to all ASEAN foreign ministers bar one and said there was consensus on the basic principles of tackling the South China Sea.
“The fact is, despite suggestions to the contrary … ASEAN remains united, ASEAN remains cohesive and therefore, ASEAN remains able to fulfil its role in the central and driving seat in our region,” he said.
At the summit, he labelled the failure of ASEAN states to agree on key elements of the COC as “utterly irresponsible”.
Four ASEAN member states have claims to the South China Sea. Two of the countries, Vietnam and the Philippines, have active disputes with China.
China claims almost all of the waters, which carry about half of the world’s shipping tonnage, or some US$5 trillion in trade per year, and are thought to be rich in oil and gas.
Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported yesterday that a fleet of 30 fishing boats arrived on Wednesday at a reef in the Spratly Islands, which are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.
The burgeoning super power favours a bilateral approach to negotiations for competing claims in the disputed waters, while US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pushed for a multilateral talks at the summit.
Cambodia has been accused of sidling up to China during the summit by stifling negotiations on the COC.
It is an accusation Cambodian officials vehemently reject, pointing to the 130 points of the joint communiqué that were agreed to outside of the South China Sea.
“ASEAN is proactive, so we are moving forward rather than the past,” said Foreign Affairs Secretary of State Kao Kim Hourn.
Political analyst Lao Mong Hay said the fact that Indonesia had taken the initiative to patch up differences suggested the failure of negotiations last week had been serious.
“I think Indonesia has been pursuing what is known as the ASEAN way; they will try to reach compromise even if it is not so meaningful. I think they have to restore unity after the collapse of the last meeting.”
Four ASEAN member states have claims to the South China Sea. Two of the countries, Vietnam and the Philippines, have active disputes with China.
China claims almost all of the waters, which carry about half of the world’s shipping tonnage, or some US$5 trillion in trade per year, and are thought to be rich in oil and gas.
Chinese state-run news agency Xinhua reported yesterday that a fleet of 30 fishing boats arrived on Wednesday at a reef in the Spratly Islands, which are also claimed by the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.
The burgeoning super power favours a bilateral approach to negotiations for competing claims in the disputed waters, while US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton pushed for a multilateral talks at the summit.
Cambodia has been accused of sidling up to China during the summit by stifling negotiations on the COC.
It is an accusation Cambodian officials vehemently reject, pointing to the 130 points of the joint communiqué that were agreed to outside of the South China Sea.
“ASEAN is proactive, so we are moving forward rather than the past,” said Foreign Affairs Secretary of State Kao Kim Hourn.
Political analyst Lao Mong Hay said the fact that Indonesia had taken the initiative to patch up differences suggested the failure of negotiations last week had been serious.
“I think Indonesia has been pursuing what is known as the ASEAN way; they will try to reach compromise even if it is not so meaningful. I think they have to restore unity after the collapse of the last meeting.”
To contact the reporters on this story: Vong Sokheng at sokheng.vong@phnompenhpost.com
David Boyle at david.boyle@phnompenhpost.com
David Boyle at david.boyle@phnompenhpost.com
3 comments:
When Thailand invaded Cambodia, there was not a single Asean member really gives a damn about Cambodia whatsoever. Every country in Asean is pretty much looking for they own interest, not Asean interest. That said, Asean members are never really united in any given time, so why are we actually kidding ourselves about Cambodia is being incompetent. Cambodia is only tried to water down the conflict in the South China Sea, not to escalate it. Now, since they are in Cambodia’s shoe, they should be able to understand how Cambodia felt. What’s going around will come around.
Asean is a perception, not a reality at this point. It is too early to presume that Asean is the work of art, when the whole concept about Asean is being disarrayed. Before they can be united, they need to be able to work out their difference among themselves. Right now, the way I see it, every man is for himself and Cambodia is certainly getting the last laugh.
lesson learned my belove khmers. when are we going to love each other. now you know that no one is going to help us. only us can help ourselves. khmer, we need a young, bright, fast talk, chin high, and nice khmer to replace Hor Namhong aging and tire. we can not have some negetive image in international spot light!!!!
I agreed with you my fellow compatriot
Can you run for an office of Mr Yuon Nam hoang ? You sound like a bright one....I am not flatering you or fooling your legs on this one,I will support you 100% with one condition:That is better not be a traitor once you get the position,deal!??? I don't think I am qualify for the job....
I will support all Khmers whose loves Khmers regardless of class!...Rebuke Cpp action that stealing from the poor and the helpless Khmers....I love to see all Khmers unity,working together as one voice to fight off all aggressors both side Yuon or Siamese.
Please my fellows Khmers we must love each other as brother/sister for the sake of unification as real Khmers before us in French colonization era, fought off all aggressors all directions,if we love, respect all Khmers, no enemy will destroy us....
Kmenwatt
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