‘Rules-based approach' is key in settling territorial disputes
Committed to global law governing use of oceans, official says
Manila The Philippines reiterated its stance on a rules-based approach in settling territorial disputes, saying it remains committed to an international law governing the use of the world's oceans.
On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the country remains firm in abiding by Unclos in settling territorial claims.
Unclos is the international law governing the rights and responsibilities of nations in their use of the world's oceans.
"Unclos has never been more important for the Philippines than today, when overlapping maritime claims threaten as never before the peace and prosperity in our part of the world," the Secretary said.
Del Rosario was apparently referring to an ongoing dispute between the Philippines and China over territorial claims in Scarborough Shoal, a group of islets located some 120 nautical miles off the cost of Zambales province in the Philippines' Central Luzon region.
Although the dispute between the Philippines and China over territories in the South China Sea had been raging for years, the two countries came the closest to engaging in armed confrontation in early April when the Philippine Navy accosted four Chinese vessels fishing at Scarborough Shoal.
The incident resulted in a stand-off that continues until today. China believes Scarborough Shoal is part of its territory.
But del Rosario reiterated: "The Philippines believes that the rules-based approach in Unclos, together with the norms in the UN Charter and international law, are the way forward in addressing in a just, peaceful and lasting manner the maritime disputes in the West Philippine Sea.
"Together with our commemoration of the 30th anniversary of Unclos this year, we are also commemorating this year the 30th anniversary of the United Nations Manila Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes, which was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1982."
