Sea dispute still in limbo

A code of Conduct governing the South China Sea remains only an “eventual” prospect, Prime Minister Hun Sen said yesterday, despite it dominating discussions during this week’s ASEAN Summit. From the beginning of Monday’s Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, the question of China’s potential involvement in the drafting of a COC for the disputed body of water hung in the air. But as the 20th summit wrapped yesterday at the capital’s Peace Palace, the question still lingered, leaving ASEAN nations Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam a long way from resolving conflicting claims they, China and Taiwan have to those waters. In his role as ASEAN chairman, Hun Sen yesterday denied division among the leaders of the 10 ASEAN nations, saying they had “reaffirmed” the importance of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) and would “intensify efforts” to fully implement it. …

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