July 13, 2012
ASEAN Summit breaks up in acrimony
by Michelle Fitzpatrick, AFP/http://www.malaysiakini.com
Days of heated diplomacy ended in failure today as splits over territorial disputes with China prevented South-East Asian nations from issuing their customary joint statement at a summit today.
Foreign Ministers from the 10-member ASEAN bloc have this week tried to hammer out a final communique in Cambodia, which has held up progress on a draft code of conduct aimed at soothing tension in the flashpoint South China Sea.
China claims sovereignty over nearly all of the resource-rich sea, which is home to vital shipping lanes, but the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei among others have competing claims in the area.
The Philippines lambasted the failure at the summit, saying “it deplores the non-issuance of a joint communique… which was unprecedented in ASEAN”s 45-year existence”.
It had insisted ASEAN refer to a stand-off last month with China over a rocky outcrop known
as the Scarborough Shoal, but Cambodia – a Beijing ally and chair of the meeting – resisted.
Taking “strong exception” to Cambodia for opposing mention of the shoal, the Philippine statement said divisions undercut previous ASEAN agreements on tackling disputes as a unit, “and not in a bilateral fashion – the approach which its northern neighbour (China) has been insisting on”.
China is a key bankroller of Cambodia and some diplomats said Phnom Penh had played Beijing’s hand at the summit by blocking a communique mentioning specific alleged infringements.
Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong expressed regret at the discord within the organisation, but said he could “not accept that the joint communique has become the hostage of the bilateral issue (between the Philippines and China)”.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who joined the summit yesterday, had expressed hope of ASEAN unity and had urged progress on the code of conduct, which is seen as reducing the chances of conflict in the South China Sea.
Analysts said the friction could “contaminate” future negotiations between ASEAN and China. “Cambodia is showing itself as China’s stalking horse. This will make negotiating a final code of conduct with China more difficult,” said South-East Asia expert Carl Thayer, who runs a consultancy.
“I find it difficult to believe that ASEAN Foreign Ministers cannot come up with some formulation that satisfies all parties,” he added.
- AFP
Have a joint military excercise , beef – up the regions military strength.. Conduct sea patrols more frequently.. Have only one spokesperson to conduct bilateral pow-wow over the issue and face big brother China in unison… Anything lesser than these confrontational stance will not ditter china from continuing to apply strong arm tactics alas forsakening a round table diplomatic discourse as a manuver not worthy applying against THE minnows of ASEAN…
Asean eiither hangs together over the South China Sea issue, or ithe member states are going to hang separately sometime in the future.
I’m all far good relations with China, but I’m very clear that the long term strategic interest of all South East Asian nations is that they resist (peacefully , of course) any attempt to turn the whole sea into one country”s lake.
China wants to deal with the claimants in the Spratlys in the South China Sea on a bilateral basis and this idea has the support of the Summit Chairman, Cambodia. No communique is rather unusual for ASEAN.–Din Merican
No communique? Never mind. Only the Pinoys severely pissed off, ‘cuz the rest have minimal expectations. One way to force the issue would be to have the meeting in the middle of Tonle Sap, and force those useless fellas to eat raw catfish for the 2 weeks. Cambodia’s a stale horse, someone said. Nah, more like a dried seahorse used in the Chinese apothecary.
Wait until Myanmar takes over. Entertainment assured.
China will next claim that all the surrounding countries are Chinese territories and belong to China, because there are large Chinese population residing in those countries, because they practise customs similar to the Chinese customs, and they used to be one before the West parceled it off as independent states. What would you say to China then?
I’d like to agree with danildaud but alas,it may not be so,where we are heading is this scenario,” Imagine member states of ASEAN are in conflict with each other,border problems i.e Thailand – Kampuchea.Malaysia – Singapore,not seeing eye to eye on several things,Malaysia- Indonesia, sea border problems( Off North-East Kalimantan ).With the US coming into the picture,we’ll have an arms race soon.At the moment some are sitting on the fence with regards to the 2 superpowers,China & US, but I guess not for long.
I fully agree that ASEAN has no choice but to stick together. Its HIGHLY irregular for the Chair to take sides with an outside power.
Its also appalling that some members believe that the skirmish at Scarborough is a Philippine problem.
Dealing with the South China problem is like trying to paddle a boat across rough waters. Everyone on board has to row. There can be no room for fighting or acting inconsiderately unless. Otherwise the boat will capsize.
Cambodia and China should also know this. if the boat capsizes, it is also not good for the region and China.
I hope sanity prevails.
Communist Vietnam finally get a bitter task of the real meaning of ASEAN brotherhood for which those from Burma have the experience since ASEAN was formed,Philippines is just helpless and their ASEAN brothers and sisters are forceing them to return to their colonial master for protection from the neighbourhood hooligan while ASEAN stupid praisers are celebrating the great political and economic success of ASEAN,what a big joke.
Report from Phnom Penh
The 45th AMM and other related meetings in Phnom Penh ended without a joint declaration, but the ASEAN members will move forward for more cooperation and the ASEAN Community Building.
“The South China Sea is just an issue between some ASEAN member countries and China, so ASEAN will continue to work together for the ASEAN Community Building,” said H.E. Hor Namhong, also Chair of the 45th AMM.
“ASEAN is not the court to rule who wins and loses, we want all concerned parties to implement the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), as well as other international laws, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) concluded in 1982″, he added.
That statement from Phonon Penh was dictated by the foreign ministry from beijing,Communist China.The foreign ministry of Cambodia was used as the loud speaker.
I cant help but think that Cambodia could be a poisoned chalice. ASEAN almost collapsed once because of Cambodia in the late 70s-80s. Now it might once again come true.
Cambodia must realise that its peace and security lies with a stable and confident ASEAN and not by following China’s dictates. China is a friend and it should also know better than dividing ASEAN as China too will have a lot to lose as it will invite other powers to balance it.
Jack and Lok1 you are right I think. And I dread to imagine what might the headlines of the November ASEAN summit read?