Gamiaw WorldNews: Philippines willing to set aside sea dispute settlement

(FILE PHOTO)  An aerial view shows the Pagasa (Hope) Island, part of the disputed Spratly group of islands, in the South China Sea located off the coast of western Philippines July 20, 2011. REUTERS/Rolex Dela Pena/Pool

Manila, Philippines - Incoming Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. said the Philippines is willing to put the settlement of its maritime dispute with China on the backburner.

He said the decision of the international arbitral tribunal on the Philippines’ arbitration case against China’s claims in the West Philippine Sea may come out on July 7, but the solution on the longstanding row may take generations.

China has been persistent that it will not recognize the upcoming court ruling amid backlash from the international community. It even continued its island-making spree in the contested area, constructing new features with airstrips and ports that can accommodate military aircraft and naval vessels.

The official acknowledged that the Philippines cannot easily enforce the expected favorable decision of the court if the pressure put on China is not enough and the bilateral or multilateral negotiations will fail.

“We are willing to put aside these issues on the backburner, and we do not hope this to be resolved in the next few years. It can take even a generational solution,” Yasay said in an interview.

“For as long as we will be respecting everybody’s rights there…we can live with that for the meantime.”

Yasay also offered a negotiation with China to set aside red lines and agree on undertaking joint exploitation in the resource-rich waters, which is believed to potentially have huge deposits of oil and gas.

“We can live together. We can work together for our mutual benefit and interests,” he said. “We will proceed on the basis and on the assumption that we all adhere to the rule of law. That we all know that the best way to resolve conflict is through peaceful negotiations. Let us talk and talk and talk.”
Yasay insisted that the Philippines should not engage China in a war in so far as defending the jurisdiction in the area is concerned.

However, he said that countries concerned of freedom of navigation and overflight in the waterway have their own prerogative to take certain actions in protecting their own interests.

“We will try to resolve our conflict with China through peaceful negotiation, right? But the other countries, like the United States or Japan, if they feel that they have to take more action in terms of asserting that this area is international waters, then it can do so for the promotion of the interest,” he said. (MJD)