RP, Vietnam want legal binding 2002 accord on disputed islands By Michaela P. del Callar 04/08/2011

RP, Vietnam want legal binding 2002 accord on disputed islands

By Michaela P. del Callar 04/08/2011

The Philippines and Vietnam want a 2002 accord on the disputed South China Sea territories to be turned into a stronger legally-binding code of conduct and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and China to jointly embark on development projects to prevent the long-running disputes from erupting into armed confrontations.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario and Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung said after a meeting in Hanoi Tuesday that the conflicting claims in the Spratlys and other South China Sea areas “should be resolved peacefully and never by force.” Their countries, along with China, Brunei, Malaysia and Taiwan have had overlapping claims over the vast region, believed to be rich in oil and gas..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/nation/20110408nat2.html