Japan, other countries back as Arbitral Tribunal victory marked
By Robina Asido
Japan and other countries expressed support to the Philippines and its commitment for the peaceful settlement of disputes to maintain a "free and open Indo Pacific" and international order as it marks the 7th anniversary of the country's victory in the Arbitral Tribunal in the South China Sea.
In a forum in Makati on Wednesday, Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Kazuhiko Koshikawa mentioned that the foreign ministry of Japan "issued in Tokyo the statement commemorating the 7th anniversary of the arbitral award."
"Japan has reiterated the tribunal award is final and legally binding on the parties to dispute under the provision of a United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," he said.
"We also reiterated our support to the Philippines commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes in the South China Seas. Japan was the first country that promoted the concept of the free and open Indo Pacific. The late Prime Minister Abe launched the free and open Indo Pacific concept," he added.
Expressing support to the Philippines, Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines Ambassador Luc Veron noted that "the Permanent Court of Arbitration laid down very clearly that there is no legal basis for China's expansive maritime claims in the South China Sea."
"We are one with the Philippines and other international partners in stressing the importance of upholding international law, including UNCLOS and the peaceful settlement of disputes as a basis for peace and stability in this part of the world, and elsewhere," he said.
"Respect for rules based international order is at the core of the EU approach towards cooperation in the Indo Pacific. The EU is determined to work with the Philippines and other partners in support of a free and open Indo Pacific and more broadly, a free and open international order based on the rule of law, respecting the UN charter to the benefit of all countries, irrespective of their size, or their power," he added.
Veron said "EU also stands ready to facilitate activities which helps build confidence and prevents and defuse tensions".
"For this reason, we have supported the negotiation of a code of conduct in for the South China Sea. While underlying that it would be it should not affect the rights and interests of third parties. The EU has also spoken up occasionally, in certain cases of unacceptable behavior by Chinese vessels. The EU is also stepping up its engagement in more operational terms."
Emphasizing that South China Sea is a vital waterway for the entire international community, Ambassador in the Philippines Hae Kyong Yu said Australians ''want to see a peaceful South China Sea where international law is respected and adhered to, and waterways are open for trade."
"Our Embassy will work tirelessly with our Philippine friends and other valued partners, to promote adherence to international law and the 2016 South China Sea Arbitral Award, in an effort to support the peaceful, prosperous and stable region we all deserve to live in," she said.
"In the current context of rising tensions", France Ambassador to the Philippines and Micronesia Michele Boccoz said that "the relevance of the 2016 Award is gaining a stronger momentum, as reflected by the wider support of like-minded nations".
"We welcome this trend and we will continue to show our support. We will continue to walk the talk," she said.
As she noted the importance of freedom of navigation and overflight, British Ambassador to the Philippines Laure Beaufils said that "what happens in the South China Sea also matters to the UK."
"As a cornerstone of international maritime law. We have a collective responsibility to ensure that the South China Sea is not a testing ground for reckless behavior, the consequence of escalation of tensions in the South China Sea would have implications for all of us, including, but not limited to major risks to global economic stability," she said.
"We note that the Philippines has also taken the bold step to stand up with confidence in support of international law in the South China Sea. We applaud this and the results shown by this administration in this regard. Beyond that, we believe that building closer bilateral, multilateral partnerships with regional partners will be key to support peace and stability throughout the region."
To emphasize the importance of maintaining the peace and stability in the region, Indian Ambassador to the Philippines Shambhu Kumaran reiterated "the will of the international community to have a concerted and coordinated approach to ensure that all actors, big and small, adhere to the rule of law and rules based international order."
"All countries have an obligation to respect international law but perhaps bigger countries have a larger obligation to respect international law and that in adhering to agreements that have already been signed, and implementing them is the real test behavior," he said. DMS
