Though foreseeing potential challenges ahead, Cambodia as ASEAN Chair remains committed to address the pending regional issue on the South China Sea.
The intention was unveiled by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation H.E. Prak Sokhonn when giving an exclusive interview to AKP on Tuesday.
The objective stands as a priority of Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen as 2022 marks 20 years of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), said the Deputy Prime Minister adding that it is long enough to transform the declaration into a code of conduct for regional peace and stability.
The Code of Conduct for the South China Sea (COC) with which all concerned countries including Brunei, China, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam can comply is badly needed to avoid violation and confrontation among them.
The code of conduct, he continued, could have been agreed upon in the previous years, but it was delayed as countries were occupied with the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea was signed in Phnom Penh when Cambodia was ASEAN chair.
The deputy prime minister foresaw potential tension due to different views among concerned countries when finalising the code.
However, he has faith in political will among all parties to address the issue peacefully that will allow the code to be signed off.
Another advantage is that the code of conduct has been a working draft for nearly two decades, so its content and comprehensiveness has been enriched, making it a more practical guide for compliance.
Source: Agency Kampuchea Press