Asean members back Phl proposal on sea row – DFA

MANILA, Philippines - Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have expressed support for the Philippine proposal called the Triple Action Plan (TAP), a concrete framework to address the escalating tensions in disputed areas in the South China Sea, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said yesterday.

The Philippine delegation headed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario will present the country’s initiative at various ASEAN meetings in Myanmar’s capital of Naypyidaw this week.

“Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario has taken trips to Vietnam, Brunei and Indonesia precisely to raise this Triple Action Plan. All of these countries have expressed support for the initiative,” said DFA spokesman Charles Jose.

The Philippines hopes that the claimant states, other ASEAN countries and the ASEAN Dialogue Partners would consider the Triple Action Plan proposal.

The DFA said the Philippines joins countries of the region and the international community in calling for urgent action to reduce the rising tension in the South China Sea.

“These tensions have strained relations among countries, increased levels of mistrust and heightened the dangers of unintended conflict in the region,” the DFA said in a statement.

“Therefore, in order to immediately do what is right in accordance with law, the international community must take determined actions to reduce tensions as we urgently work to resolve the dispute in the South China Sea,” it added.

The proposal, the DFA said, is comprehensive, constructive and would bring together various initiatives that the Philippines and other countries have been advocating to resolve the issues over the South China Sea for the past years.

The TAP was first informally announced by the Philippines in late June as tensions in the waters off Vietnam heightened due to the presence of Chinese Oil Rig HD981 near the disputed Paracel Islands being claimed by Vietnam and China.

The TAP contains immediate, intermediate and final approaches to address the provocative and destabilizing activities in the region without prejudice to existing territorial claims.

As an immediate approach, the TAP calls for a moratorium on specific activities that escalate tension in the South China Sea.

This approach cites the need for a more concrete definition of paragraph 5 of the ASEAN-China Declaration of Conduct on the South China Sea (DOC).

For the intermediate approach, the TAP highlights the need and call for the full and effective implementation of the DOC and the expeditious conclusion of the Code of Conduct.

As a final approach, the TAP underscores the need for a settlement mechanism to bring the disputes to a final and enduring resolution anchored on international law.

The Philippines is pursuing such a resolution through arbitration that could clarify the maritime entitlements for all parties, which will be the basis for the settlement of maritime disputes.