By JAMES HOOKWAY
The Wall Street Journal
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia—Southeast Asian leaders closed a
two-day summit by uniting behind a call to bring Myanmar into the
international mainstream, but remained divided over thornier issues
involving territorial disputes with the region's powerhouse, China.
Leaders of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations, in a
closing statement issued Wednesday by host nation Cambodia, urged
Western nations to drop sanctions on Myanmar following Sunday's
groundbreaking elections in that country.
Asean leaders found it harder to reach some common ground on how to
approach resolving territorial disputes in the South China Sea, a
resource-rich stretch of water that carries around half of the world's
total trade and is claimed in whole or part by China, the Philippines,
Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei.
Philippine President Benigno Aquino III urged the group's nations to
draft a code of conduct on how to resolve competing claims in the
waters, which have heated up in the past year. The Philippines and
Vietnam allege that Chinese naval vessels have harassed oil-exploration
vessels working in what United Nations maritime laws define as these
countries' domestic economic zones.
Under the Philippine plan, which was backed by Vietnam, Asean would present its proposal to China for further discussion.
Beijing has sought to exert influence over Asean's deliberations over
how strong a stance it should take against China, diplomats say,
pointing to a state visit to Cambodia by China's President Hu Jintao
shortly before the summit began. Chinese officials weren't immediately
available for comment.
On Wednesday, the Philippines and Vietnam urged Cambodia, Asean's
chair this year, to make it clear that Asean alone would craft its
version of the proposed code of conduct before bringing China into
process.
In its closing statement, Cambodia didn't mention the South China Sea controversy.
Speaking to reporters, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Sen, a strong
ally of Beijing and a major recipient of Chinese aid, dismissed
speculation that his country was being pressured by China to block the
discussions.
"I've never heard of any suggestion from China's leaders that Cambodia should do this or do that," Mr. Hun Sen told reporters.
China denies allegations that it has sabotaged oil exploration in
Vietnamese or Philippine waters. But Beijing has publicly warned the
Philippines and Vietnam to seek its permission before drilling for oil
and natural gas.
Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan said a failure by Asian
nations to resolve their differences over how to approach the South
China Sea problems could undermine how investors perceive the stability
of the region.
"They have the right to be concerned," Mr. Surin said in an
interview. "We're a bright spot in the world. If anything derails our
growth, it would have important implications."
In the meantime, Mr. Surin said, there will be informal discussions
with China over the code, which is envisioned as a legally binding
document to guide the resolution of territorial disputes.
The Asean nations had few difficulties speaking with a common voice
over member-nation Myanmar, which has enacted a series of changes that
appear to have brought a greater degree of democracy to the formerly
military-run state.
Delegates were gushing in their praise for Myanmar President Thein
Sein, after a series of by-elections Sunday that were marked by a strong
turnout for pro-democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi and her party.
Cambodia's Mr. Hun Sen said Asean would first urge the European Union
to drop stiff political and economic sanctions against the former
military state, which is also known as Burma,
"We called for the lifting of all sanctions on Myanmar immediately in
order to contribute positively to the democratic process and economic
development in that country," the Asean leaders said in a statement.
The elections in Myanmar were for 45 vacant seats in the country's
664-seat parliament, but assumed huge significance because Ms. Suu Kyi
was among the winning candidates after two decades as a political
prisoner.
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