PHNOM PENH/ JAKARTA Southeast Asian states sought to save face on Friday with a call for restraint and dialogue over the South China Sea, but made no progress in healing a deep divide about how to respond to China’s growing assertiveness in the disputed waters.
After heated discussions at a summit last week that saw its customary communique aborted for the first time in its 45-year history, the Association of Southeast Asian nations (Asean) issued a six-point statement that omitted the contentious issues that had its 10 members locked in a bitter dispute for days.
Asean chair Cambodia, which was accused by several members of stonewalling in support of key ally China, on Friday blamed “two countries” for scuttling the communique by refusing to agree to the six points it had initially proposed.
“Cambodia is not at fault at all,” Foreign Minister Hor Namhong told a news conference.
“Why the Foreign Ministers meeting was unable to issue a joint communique on these six points which were all raised by me? Why did two countries keep opposing? Probably, there was a plan behind the scenes against Cambodia.”
His comments risk widening cracks that have appeared in a grouping that is becoming polarised by China’s rapidly expanding influence.
The divisions follow a rise in incidents of naval brinkmanship involving Chinese vessels in the oil-rich waters that has sparked fears of a military clash.
China has territorial claims over a huge area covering waters that Vietnam and the Philippines say they also have sovereignty over. All three countries are eager to tap possibly huge offshore oil reserves.
China’s Foreign Ministry said on Friday it “noted” Asean’s position on the South China Sea issue, but added China had a “full historic and legal basis” to its territorial claims.
“China and Asean have joint interests and responsibilities when it comes to maintaining regional peace and stability and the impetus of Asian development,” spokesman Hong Lei said in a statement on the ministry’s website (www.mfa.gov.cn).
Vietnam and the Philippines have sharply criticised China and last month ramped up their rhetoric following agreements to strengthen their military ties with the United States.
The failure to issue the communique and the bitter rows behind closed doors over what words and names to use and what details to exclude was a huge embarrassment for a 10-member bloc planning to form an EU-style economic community by 2015.
Reuters
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