02 June 2014 - The Philippines described the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as the foremost authority on ocean governance and called for its full implementation during the 2nd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Seminar on UNCLOS held from May 28 to 29 in Manila.
“It is imperative that all countries are clear on the various provisions of UNCLOS and their proper interpretations. This is why the full operationalization of the dispute settlement mechanisms provided by the UNCLOS is crucial. By subjecting our disputes to the full weight of the Convention, we elevate the rule of law from theory to practice,” said the Department of Foreign Affairs’ Assistant Secretary for Legal Affairs Eduardo Jose A. de Vega in his opening remarks during the Seminar.
Assistant Secretary de Vega co-chaired the Seminar for the Philippines with Katrina Cooper, Senior Legal Adviser of the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The Seminar saw presentations from experts from all over the world on the intricacies of UNCLOS and its provisions and applications, particularly in maritime boundary delimitation, possibilities for cooperation, and dispute settlement. The participants also discussed the emerging issue of protecting marine biodiversity in areas beyond national jurisdiction (BBNJ).
The expert speakers put forward several recommendations, including the establishment of a fisheries commission in the South China Sea to protect fish stocks in the area, as well as a mechanism under the ARF for the settlement of maritime disputes in the region. Participants also discussed the clarification of maritime claims to facilitate not only the settlement of disputes, but also the joint development of marine resources outside disputed areas.
Representatives dealing with Law of the Sea issues from 21 countries and the European Union attended the Seminar, which is a continuing initiative of the Philippines and Australia that began with the 1st ARF Seminar on UNCLOS in Manila in 2011. The Seminar was held amid incidents surrounding the conflicting claims in the South China Sea. Four of the claimant countries – the Philippines, Viet Nam, Brunei and Malaysia – are members of ASEAN, while China is an ASEAN Dialogue Partner. All five countries are members of the ARF.
The ASEAN Regional Forum is a venue for multilateral dialogue on regional security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. The workshop is one among various activities under the maritime security priority area of the ARF. END