Pawns
| C.R.O.S.S.R.O.A.D.S |
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| Jonathan De la Cruz |
“Uncharacteristic” was how the international press described Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario’s remarks about China’s actions in the disputed West Philippine Sea or South China Sea as the Chinese call it at the recent 18th Asean Regional Forum in Bali. Attended by the top diplomats of the member countries, Del Rosario said China’s claims were “baseless” and a “potential threat” to navigation in international waters. Racheting his rhetoric, Del Rosario proceeded to raise concerns about how the Chinese would treat its neighbors as it “became more powerful.”
Those are indeed fighting words and for a diplomat-businessman of Del Rosario’s standing truly a revelation.
Said the DFA Chief: “If Philippine sovereign rights can be denigrated by this baseless claim (the so-called nine-dash claim inked on Chinese maps), many countries should begin to contemplate the potential threat to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea. China’s hesitation to accept the Philippine suggestion to elevate their dispute to the International tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ItLos) could lead to the conclusion that China may not be able to validate its stated positions in accordance with the UNCLOS.”.... MORE
Source: The Daily Tribune
URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110725com4.html
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