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Indonesia to push for SCS discussion in ASEAN meeting
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In this undated photo released by Xinhua News Agency, a Chinese H-6K bomber patrols the islands and reefs in the South China Sea. (Xinhua via AP/Liu Rui)
J
akarta will strive to ensure that mention of the South China Sea issue will be included in a joint communique to be produced at the end of ASEAN's biggest meeting of the year, an official has said.
"It's important that we could address the issue of the South China Sea during this meeting, especially about how to keep the situation peaceful, stable and conducive [to peace and stability]," said the Foreign Ministry's ASEAN dialogue partner and inter-regional cooperation director, Derry Aman.
The upcoming ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), the first ASEAN forum since the issuance of the PCA ruling earlier this month, will be held in Vientiane, Laos, from July 23 to 26.
Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi would be attending the largest event of the year for the regional organization, which includes 18 official meetings throughout the four days, Derry said.
There would be continued discussion among ASEAN member states on how to formulate the issue of the South china Sea in the document, he added.
Four of the 10 ASEAN member countries are claimants to the disputed region through which approximately US$5 trillion worth of trade passes each year. However, the organization has yet to release a joint statement on the arbitral decision.
"The main thing is to have something on the South China Sea issue in the joint communique," Derry said.
AMM participants include the grouping's dialogue partners, namely Australia, Canada, China, the European Union, India, Japan, New Zealand, Russia, South Korea and the United States. (ary)
