Thayer South China Sea in Regional Politics: Indonesia's Efforts to Forge ASEAN Unity on a Code of Conduct

7/28/2019 Thayer South China Sea in Regional Politics: Indonesia's Efforts to Forge ASEAN Unity on a Code of Conduct

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SouthChinaSeainRegionalPolitics:

IndonesiasEffortstoForgeASEAN

UnityonaCodeofConductCarlyleThayer

Paperfor3rdAnnualConferenceon

ManagingTensionsintheSouthChinaSea

CenterforStrategic&InternationalStudies

Washington,D.C.,June5-6,2013


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SouthChinaSeainRegionalPolitics:

IndonesiasEffortstoForgeASEANUnityonaCodeofConduct

CarlyleA.Thayer

Introduction

InJuly2012theforeignministersoftheAssociationofSoutheastAsianNations(ASEAN)

failed to reach consensus on the wording of South China Sea issues in their joint

statement following their annual ministerialmeeting (AMM). This developmentwas

unprecedented in ASEANs forty-five year history. Later in the year, internal ASEAN

disagreementswereputonpublicdisplaywhenCambodia,asASEANChair,attempted

to insert a reference in the joint communiqu that ASEAN leaders agreed not to

internationalizetheSouthChinaSeadispute.ThePhilippinesobjectedandtheoffending

referencewasdropped.

ASEANsdisarrayhasproventobeatemporaryphenomenon.Thepublicdisputesoverthewordingofajointcommuniquandchairmansstatementovershadowedthefact

that the ASEAN foreign ministers unanimously reached agreement on Proposed

ElementsofaRegionalCodeofConductintheSouthChinaSeaattheplenarysessionof

the45thAMMon9

July.Further,duringthecontretempsattheAMMRetreatoverthe

wordingofthejointstatement,Indonesiaofferedtoproduceanon-paperontheCode

ofConduct(COC).

In January2013Brunei assumed the ASEAN Chairand byall accounts Cambodia has

ceaseditsobstructionofASEANeffortstoforgeaunifiedposition.1Afterthe45

thAMM

IndonesiaseizedtheinitiativeandsecuredtheendorsementofallofASEANsforeign

ministersonSix-PointPrinciplesontheSouthChinaSea.IndonesiasForeignMinister

Marty Natalegawa presented a zero draft COC to ASEAN foreign ministers on the

1S.Ramesh,ASEANhasambitiousagendawhichitisinprocessoffulfilling:PMLee,ChannelNewsAsia,

April25,2013.

Paperfor3rdAnnualConferenceonManagingTensionsintheSouthChinaSea,

CenterforStrategic&InternationalStudies,Washington,D.C.,June5-6,2013


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sidelinesoftheUnitedNationsGeneralAssemblyinSeptember2012andconsensuswas

reachedtofurtherdevelopthisdocumentasabasisofdiscussionwithChina.Atthe9th

ASEAN-China Senior Officials Consultation on 2 April it was agreed to commence

discussionsontheCOClaterintheyear.

This presentation revisits these developments with a focuson Indonesias efforts to

forgeASEANunityonadraftCodeofConductintheSouthChinaSea.

GuidelinestoImplementtheDOC

InJuly2011,ChinaandASEANagreed totheGuidelines toImplement theDOC after

ASEAN dropped its insistence six-year insistence on prior consultations and agreed

instead to promote dialogueand consultation among the parties. A new pointwas

added to the original 2005 ASEAN Guidelines specifying that activities and projects

carriedoutundertheDOCshouldbereportedtotheASEAN-ChinaMinisterialMeeting.2

Alltheotherpointsinthe2011Guidelinesremainedunchangedfromtheoriginal2005

ASEANdraft.

ASEANandChineseseniorofficialscommenceddiscussionsonthe implementationof

theDOCGuidelinesatameetingheldinBeijingfromJanuary13-15,2012.Theyagreed

to set up four expert committees on maritime scientific research, environmental

protection,searchandrescue,andtransnationalcrime.Thesecommitteeswerederived

fromthefivecooperativeactivitiesmentionedintheoriginal2002DOC.Significantlyno

expert committee onsafety ofnavigation andcommunication at seawasestablished

duetoitscontentiousnature.

RevivingtheCodeofConduct

TheagreementonDOCGuidelinesledtotherevivalofthelong-standingproposalbyfor

aCOCthatwasincludedinthe2002DOC.ASEANseniorofficialsbegandraftingtheCOC

withtheintentionofreachingacommonASEANpositionbeforepresentingittoChina

for discussion. China initially took the position that the implementation of the DOC

2GuidelinestoImplementtheDOC,http://www.aseansec.org/documents/20185-DOC.pdf.


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GuidelinesshouldbegivenpriorityovertheCOC.ChinastateditwoulddiscusstheCOC

withASEANatanappropriatetimingorwhenappropriateconditionsweremet.3

In January 2012, the Philippines circulated an informal working draft simply titled,

PhilippinesDraftCodeofConduct.IndiscussionsheldbyASEANseniorofficialsduring

the first quarter of 2012 it became apparent that ASEANmemberswere divided on

Articles III-VI in thePhilippines draft. SomeASEANmembersalsoshared reservations

aboutbeingtooprescriptiveconcerningdisputesettlementmechanisms.4Itwasatthis

pointthatChinachangedtackandsoughtaseatattheASEANdiscussions.Thetimingof

ChinasinvolvementwithASEANindraftingaCOCquicklybecameacontentiousissue

withinASEAN.Thesetensionssurfacedatthe20thASEANSummitheldinPhnomPenh

from April 3-4. Cambodia, the ASEAN Chair, pushed for Chinas inclusion in ASEAN

discussions. The Philippines and Vietnam objected strongly and a compromise was

reached.ASEANwouldproceedonitsowntodraftaCOC,whilecommunicationwith

ChinawouldtakeplacethroughtheASEANChairatthesametime.5

20thASEANSummit(April2012)

Prior to the20th ASEAN Summit, Cambodiaacting asASEAN Chair, revealedthat the

SouthChinaSeawasnotontheformalagenda.However,attheformalplenarymeeting

onthefirstdayoftheSummittheSouthChinaSeawasdiscussedalongwithawide

rangeofotherissues.AccordingtoastatementissuedbythePhilippinesDepartmentof

ForeignAffairs,PresidentBenignoAquinoarguedthatASEANshouldforgeacommon

position on a proposed Code of Conduct before talking with China. He said the

fundamentals of the proposed code should be internal to ASEANs members.6

3Carlyle A. Thayer, Sovereignty Disputes in the South China Sea: Diplomacy, Legal Regimes and

Realpolitik,PresentationtoInternationalConferenceonTopicalRegionalSecurityIssuesinEastAsia,co-

sponsoredbytheFacultyofAsianandAfricanStudiesandtheHoChiMinhInstitute,St.PetersburgState

University,St.Petersburg,RussianFederation,April6-7,2012,7.

4Carlyle A. Thayer, Is the Philippines an Orphan?, The Diplomat, May 2, 2012. http://the-

diplomat.com/2012/05/02/is-the-philippines-an-orphan/.

5Thayer,IsthePhilippinesanOrphan?.

6MartinAbbugao,Philippines urges unitedASEAN stand onSouth China Sea, AgenceFrance-Presse,

April3,2012.


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PresidentAquinoalsostated,It isimportantwemaintainASEANcentralityAfterthe

CoC (codeofconduct)has been finalized byASEAN, thenASEANmember stateswill

meetwithChina.

AccordingtoSoeuRatChavy,SecretaryofStatefortheCambodianMinistryofForeign

Affairs,theSouthChinaSeaissuewasputbackontheagenda.Attheconclusionofthe

ASEANSummitsformalplenarysessiontheChairmansStatementnotedthefollowing

undertheheadingSouthChinaSea:

91.WereaffirmedtheimportanceoftheDeclarationontheConductofPartiesintheSouthChinaSea

(DOC) as a milestone document signed between ASEAN and China embodying the collective

commitmenttopromotingpeace,stability,andmutualtrustintheSouthChinaSeaandtoensuring

thepeacefulresolutionofdisputesinthisareainaccordancewiththeCharteroftheUnitedNations,

and the universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations

Conventionon theLawof theSea(UNCLOS)andtomove fortheeventualrealizationof aregionalcodeofconduct(COC).

92.Westressedtheneedtointensifyeffortstoensuretheeffectiveandfullimplementationofthe

DOCbasedontheGuidelinesfortheimplementationoftheDOC.Inthisregard,wesupportedthe

conveningoftheASEAN-ChinaJointWorkshoptocommemoratethe10thAnniversaryoftheDOC,in

Cambodia,in thefourthquarterof2012.Wealsolookedforwardtotheholdingof the5thASEAN-

ChinaSeniorOfficialsonDOCandthe8thMeetingoftheASEAN-ChinaJointWorkingGroup.

Atapost-summitpressconference,ASEANSecretaryGeneralSurinPitsuwanadmitted

therewere shades ofdifferenceamongASEANmembersdrawn between thosewho

hadclaimsandthosewhodidnotoverwhentoincludeChinainnegotiationsovera

COC.7According to Indonesias Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa, This is not

necessarily a neat sequential process isnt it. Of course, ASEAN first and foremost,

musthaveasolidconsolidatedposition.Butatthesametimeasweproceed,therewill

be constant communication through the ASEAN-China framework, so that whatever

final position ASEAN comes up with will have benefited from having some kind of

communicationwithChina.8Heconcluded,Thebigpictureistheonethatmustnotbe

lost.Namelythatincontrasttotherecentpast,nowwehaveasituationwhereallare

basicallyrushingandcompetingtogettheCodeofConductofftheground.9

7AFP,ASEANparalysedoverChinaseadispute,sayanalysts,April4,2012

8IrwinLoy,ASEANStillSearchingforConsensusonSouthChinaSeaDisputes,VOANews,April4,2012.

9Reuters,SoutheastAsiafailstotackleseaspatwithChinaheadon,April4,2012.


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Quite clearly ASEAN members had reached a compromise. However, a Philippine

diplomat involved in the negotiations said his countrywas frustrated by Indonesias

rejection of any conflict resolution mechanism in the code. He added that other

countries,includingCambodia,wereeitherlukewarmtotheproposalorhadignoredit

altogether.10

On23May,theASEANSeniorOfficialsMeeting(SOM)WorkingGroupontheRegional

CodeofConduct inthe SouthChinaSeaheld its 7thmeetingand agreed ona nearly

completed document entitled ASEANs Proposed Elements of a Regional Code of

ConductintheSouthChinaSea(COC)betweenASEANMemberStatesandthePeoples

RepublicofChina.11Amonthlater,on13

thJuly,theASEANSOMWorkingGroupfinally

concludeditsdeliberations.Accordingtoanofficialstatement,Themeetingagreedto

submitthedraftASEANproposedkeyelementsoftheregionalCodeofConductinthe

SouthChinaSeatotheASEANSOMforconsideration.12TheASEANSOMmetinPhnom

Penhfrom6-7Julyandforwardedtheagreeddraftto theASEANForeignMinistersfor

deliberationattheir45thAMMonJuly9.

45thASEANMinisterialMeeting(July2012)

Cambodia,astheASEANChairfor2012,hostedthe45thAMMandrelatedmeetingsin

PhnomPenh fromJuly8-13.13An informalChina-ASEANsenior-levelworkingmeeting

washeldonJuly8 and reportedly agreedtostart talksona legally-bindingmaritime

codeofconducttomanagethedisputes.14

10Reuters,SoutheastAsiafailstotackleseaspatwithChinaheadon,April4,2012.

117

thMeetingoftheASEANSOMWorkingGroupontheRegionalCodeofConductintheSouthChina

Sea,PhnomPenh,May23,2012,4pages.

12

EstrellaTorres,ManilatackonChinarowwinsAseannod,BusinessMirror,July13,2012.13TheASEAN-relatedmeetingsincluded:theASEANPost-MinisterialConferencewithdialoguepartners,

the19thASEANRegionalForum,ASEANPlus3ForeignMinistersMeetingandthe2

ndEastAsiaSummit

ForeignMinistersMeeting.

14Divisions serve to weaken ASEAN, The Japan Times, July 21, 2012. A Chinese Foreign Ministry

spokesperson stated that on July 8 the ASEAN-China SOM agreed to carry out the DOC in a

comprehensive and effective manner, as well as carry out cooperation projects uner the DOC

framework;Chinaexpectsco-oponSouthChinsSea,ChinaDaily,July10,2012.


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Inhisopeningaddresson9JulyPrimeMinisterHunSenstatedthatrealisingtheASEAN

Communityby2015isthetoppriorityforASEAN.15WithrespecttotheASEANPolitical-

Security Community, Hun Sen declared, we should give emphasis to the

implementation of the DOC, including the eventual conclusion of Code of Conduct

(COC)intheSouthChinaSea[emphasisinoriginal].16

AttheformalAMMplenaryCambodiasForeignMinisterHorNamhongtoldhisASEAN

counterparts that Vice Foreign Minister Fu Ying stated that China was willing to

commencetalksontheCOCinSeptember.17AlsoonJuly9,ForeignMinisterYangJiechi

metwithSecretaryofStateHillaryClintontodiscus the SouthChinaSea.Afterthese

talks,U.S.officialsrevealedthatforeignministerYanggaveSecretaryClintonacareful

indicationthatBeijingiswillingtojoinadialogueonthecodeassoonasSeptember,

aheadofNovembers ASEANsummit.18ASEANSecretaryGeneralSurin Pitsuwanalso

confirmedthatthefirstformalmeetingbetweenASEANandChineseseniorofficialson

theCOCwouldtakeplaceinPhnomPenhinSeptember.19

Atthe end of the AMM formal discussionsKao KimHourn, Secretary ofState in the

CambodianMinistryofForeignAffairs,toldreportersthattheASEANforeignministers

had adopted the key elements of the COC and agreed to have the ASEAN senior

15OpeningAddressBySamdechAkkaMohaSenaPadeiTechoHUNSENPrimeMinisteroftheKingdomof

Cambodia At the Opening of the 45thASEANForeignMinistersMeeting, PhnomPenh,9 July 2012.

http://asean2012.mfa.gov.kh/documents/150SPM_speech_khmer.pdf.

16MartinAbbugao,AustralianAssociatedPress,ASEANpushedonSouthChinaSeacode,HeraldSun,July

9,2012andAgenceFrance-Presse(AFP),HuncallsforASEANSouthChinaSeacode,TheAustralian,July

10,2012.

17SummaryofCambodiaChairsinterventionattheAMMRetreat,9July2012,25andChannelNewsAsia,

ElementofconfidencebuildingbetweenASEANandChina,July10,2012.18ScottStearns,ChinaReadytoJoinSouthChinaSeaTalks,VoiceofAmericaJuly12,2012

19According toSurwin, They [theseniorofficials] have todecide in thenext dayor twowhetherthis

processisgoingtobeformalizedwithcertainspecificschedule.Isthisgoingtobeneededinthefuture

whenwediscuswheneverwecometogether,orarewegoingtohavearegularscheduleofmeetings

betweenbothsides?ChannelNewAsia,ElementofconfidencebuildingbetweenASEANandChina,July

10,2012andAgenceFrance-Presse, Aseanreachesout toBeijingover seacode,GulfTimes, July 10,

2012.


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officialsmeetwiththeseniorofficialfromChinatodiscussthe(CodeofConduct)from

nowon.20

At the 45th AMM Hor Namhong assigned responsibility for drafting the joint

communiqu summarizing the AMM deliberations toaworking partyof four foreign

ministers:Marty Natalegawa (Indonesia), Anifah Aman (Malaysia), Albert del Rosario

(Philippines)andPhamBinhMinh(Vietnam).21Their 132-paragraphdraft summarized

thewiderangeofissuestakenupbytheAMM.Thedraftcommuniqualsosummarized

discussions on the South China Sea including the stand off at Scarborough Shoal

between China and the Philippines and Vietnams concerns about the award of oil

exploration leases by the China National Offshore Oil Company within Vietnams

ExclusiveEconomicZoneandonitscontinentalshelf.Thedraftjointcommuniquwas

presentedtotheASEANMinisterialRetreatontheeveningof9July.

At the Retreat, Cambodias ForeignMinister reported that, ASEAN-Chinamet twice

recently todiscussinformallythedraftingof [the]COC [andthat]Cambodiawill host

another formal ASEAN China SOM on the COC in the near future.22However, the

wording of one paragraph in the South China Sea section of the joint communiqu

became such a sticking point between Cambodia and the drafters of the joint

communiqu that no final communiqu was issued. This was unprecedented. Since

ASEAN was founded in 1967 all forty-four previous AMMs had issued joint

communiqus. Indeed, a media advisory announcing the 45th AMM, released by

20Michael Lipin, Cambodia Says ASEAN Ministers Agree to Key Elements of Sea Code, Voice of

America,July9,2012;MichaeldelCallar,DFAchief:ASEANagreesonkeyelementsforCodeofConductinWestPHLSea,GMANews,July11,2012;andAssociatedPress,Aseantotakeupcodeofconductwith

China,Manila StandardToday, July 10,2012quotes LiuWeimin, spokesperson forChinasMinistryof

ForeignAffairs,asstatingWhenconditionsareripe,ChinawouldliketodiscusswithAseancountriesthe

formulationoftheCOC.

21ErnestZ.Bower,ChinaRevealsItsHandonASEANinPhnomPenh, SoutheastAsiafromtheCornerof

18thandKStreets,vol.III,No.14,July19,2012,2.

22SummaryofCambodiaChairsinterventionattheAMMRetreat,9July2012,1and25.


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CambodiaonJuly6,2002,concluded,[a]JointCommuniquwillbeadoptedattheend

oftheMeeting.23

RuctionsOvertheJointCommuniqu

Cambodia argues that the failure of the AMM to adopt a joint communiqu rests

squarelywiththePhilippinesandVietnamandtheirinsistenceonincludingareference

toScarboroughShoalandEEZsinthefinaltext.AccordingtoCambodia,theactionsby

thePhilippinesandVietnampreventedaconsensusfrombeingreachedandCambodia

hadnorecoursebuttowithholdthejointcommuniqu.24

MediaandotherreportingrevealthatdiscussionsonthewordingoftheSouthChina

Seaparagraphscontinueduntilthemorningof July13withoutbreakingtheimpasse.25

Ernest Bower, who spoke to diplomats in Phnom Penh, wrote that after the four-

member ministerial committee came up with a draft communiqu, [r]epeatedly,

however, after taking the draft under consideration, Hor Namhong consulted with

advisersoutside of themeeting roomand cameback rejecting language referring to

ScarboroughShoalandtheEEZs,evenaftermultipleattemptstofindcompromise.26He

saidCambodiasviewwasthatthosewerebilateralissuesandthereforecouldnotbe

mentionedinthejointstatement.Byoneaccount,theoriginalAMMjointcommuniqu

wentthroughatotalofeighteendrafts.27

Over the four days following the 45th AMM and AMM Retreat, the Indonesian and

Singaporean foreignministersmadea last-ditch effort tobrokera compromise. They

23Cambodia, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, The Forty-fifth ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting, Media

Advisory,July6,2012. http://www.aseansec.org/documents/PRESS%20ADVISORY_45th%20AMM.pdf.

24For a detailed account of discussions on the draft joint communiqu at the AMM Retreat consult:

CarlyleA. Thayer, ASEANS Code of Conduct in the South China Sea: A Litmus Test for Community-

Building?, The Asia-Pacific Journal , Vol 10, Issue 34, No. 4, August 20, 2012.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/103333615/Thayer-ASEANS-Code-of-Conduct-in-the-South-China-Sea-A-

Litmus-Test-for-Community-Building.

25ZsosmborPeterandKuchNaren,CambodiaCriticizedforAseanMeetingFailure,TheCambodianDaily,

July14-15,2012.

26Bower,ChinaRevealsItsHandonASEANinPhnomPenh.

27GregTorode,ASEANLeftonaKnifeEdge,SouthChinaMorningPost,July21,2012.


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persuadedVietnamandthePhilippinestoagreetoacompromiseonthewording.But

repeatedattemptstopersuadeCambodiasHorNamhongfailed.Attheirlastmeeting

ForeignMinisterHor Namhong pickeduphis papers, and stormedout of the room

arguingitwasamatterofprincipleforASEANnottotakesidesinbilateraldisputes.28

Finally,accordingtoanaccountbyaPhilippineofficialwhoattendedthemeetingsin

Phnom Penh, [t]he text of the proposed Joint Communiqus item/subhead on the

South ChinaSeawas drafted by the ASEAN foreignministers and several revisions

were made to make the text acceptable to all. However, the Cambodian Chair

consistentlyrejectedanyproposedtextthatmentionsScarboroughShoal.29

ThefailureofASEANforeignministerstoissueajointcommuniquattheconclusionof

the45th

AMMledtoimmediatepublicrecriminations.Onthemorningofthelastday,

immediatelyafteraspecialmeetingfailedtoreachaneleventhhourcompromise,the

PhilippinesissuedastatementtakingstrongexceptiontothedecisionbytheASEAN

Chairnottoissueajointcommuniqu.ForeignMinisterHorNamhonghitbackaccusing

the Philippines of attempting to hijack the AMM and declaring that the joint

communiquhasbecomehostagetoabilateralissue.30ThePhilippineUndersecretary

forForeignAffairs,ErlindaBasilio,pennedapersonalaccountentitled,WhyThereWas

NoASEANJointCommuniquthatprovokedaCambodiandiplomaticresponse.31

Chinas commitment to meet in September to discuss the COC was short lived.

According to Japanese sources, on July 11, Chinas attitude suddenly shifted and it

refused to begin talks.32According to Ian Storey, Vice Foreign Minister Fu Yings

28JanePerlez,AsianLeadersatRegionalMeetingFailtoResolveDisputesOverSouthChinaSea,TheNew

YorkTimes,July12,2012.

29Basilio,WhythereWasNoASEANJointCommuniquandBasilio,WhathappenedinPhnomPenh?

30ZsosmborPeterandKuchNaren,CambodiaCriticizedforAseanMeetingFailure,andPrakChanThulandStuartGrudgings,SEAsiameetingindisarrayoverseadisputewithChina,Reuters,July13,2012.

31Basilio,WhathappenedinPhnomPenh?,TheCambodianMinistryofForeignAffairsandCambodian

ambassadors in Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore wrote letters to the editors of newspapers

replyingtocriticalreportsonCambodiasactionsatthe45thAMM.IntemperatelanguagebyCambodias

ambassador to thePhilippines ledto his summons by theDepartment of ForeignAffairs. He failed to

attend.Cambodialaterrecalleditsambassador.

32DivisionsservetoweakenASEAN,TheJapanTimes,July21,2012.


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agreementwithASEANtobegintalksonaCOCinSeptemberwasoverruledbyForeign

MinisterYang....33

ASEANsProposedElementsofaRegionalCodeofConduct

As noted above, on 9 July ASEAN foreign ministers unanimously adopted the key

elements of their draft Code of Conduct for the South China Sea at their plenary

meeting.ThepreambletoASEANsProposedElementsofaRegionalCodeofConduct

intheSouthChinaSea(COC)betweenASEANMemberStatesandthePeoplesRepublic

ofChina,34includedreferencestopreviousagreements reachedbetweenASEANand

China,includingthe1997JointStatementofthemeetingofheadsofgovernment/state

ofASEANmembersandChina,the2006JointDeclarationonStrategicPartnershipfor

PeaceandTowardsanEnhancedASEAN-ChinaStrategicPartnership,the2002DOCand

itscommitmenttodevelopaCOCandprotectionoftheenvironmentandbiodiversity.

TheASEANdraftcallsforacomprehensiveanddurablesolutionofdisputes.35

ArticleIoftheASEANdraftCOCcontainsitsoperativeprovisionsandcallsontheparties

to respectandadheretotheUnitedNationsCharter,1982UNCLOS,TreatyofAmity

and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, DOC and the Five Principles of Peaceful Co-

existence. The ASEAN draft lists four principles: (1) to develop modalities and

arrangements for the promotion of settlement by peaceful means of disputes and

preventtheirescalation;(2)torespecttheprovisionsofandtakeactionsconsistent

33IanStoreyComments,TheNelsonReport,July31,2012.Storeyusedmoreguardedlanguageinearlier

accountswherehewrotethatForeignMinisterYangseemstohaveruledouttheSeptembermeetingon

acodeofconductuntilwhentimewasripe.Chinahasusedtheexpressionwhenconditionsareripe(or

mature)priortothe45thAMM.AChinesespokesperson,forexample,usedthisexpressionon9Julytwo

daysbeforeYangspoke.See:MichaelLipin,CambodiaSaysASEANMinistersAgreetoKeyElementsof

SeaCode,VoiceofAmerica,July9,2012.

34CarlyleA.Thayer,ASEANsCodeofConduct(Unofficial),ThayerConsultancyBackgroundBrief,July11,

2012.http://www.scribd.com/doc/101698395/Thayer-ASEANs-Code-of-Conduct-Unofficial.

35Storeyarguesthattheinclusionofthewords comprehensiveanddurablesettlementof thedispute

representedapartialvictoryforVietnamandthePhilippinesandarejectionDengXiaopingsproposalto

shelve sovereignty disputes and engage in joint exploration. In fact the words comprehensive and

durablewerefirstusedinthe2002DeclarationonConductofPartiesintheSouthChinaSea,Point6,

which China signed (http://www.aseansec.org/13163.htm). See: Ian Storey Comments, The Nelson

Report,July31,2012.


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withtheCOC;(3)toencourageothercountriestorespectthepurposesandprinciples

contained in the COC; and (4) to establish an effective mechanism to monitor the

implementationoftheCOC.

ArticleIIoftheASEANdraftenumerateseightobligations:aministeriallevelmechanism

tomonitor the implementation of the COC; prohibitionon reservations to the COC;

provisionsofentryintoforce;mechanismforsettlingdisputes;amendmentoftheCOC;

provisionsforothercountriestorespecttheCOC;indefinitedurationoftheCOC;and

registrationoftheCOCwiththeASEANSecretaryGeneralandSecretariatoftheUnited

Nations

ArticleIII(4)requiressignatoriestoestablishamechanismforsettlingdisputesrelating

totheinterpretationandapplicationoftheCodeofConduct.Twodisputesettlement

mechanismsareincludedtoaddressabreachorviolationoftheCOC.36Thefirstisthe

disputesettlementmechanismincludedintheASEANTreatyofAmityandCooperation

inSoutheastAsia(TAC).37TheTACprovidesforaministerial-levelASEANHighCouncil

andempowersittorecommendtopartiesindispute,subjecttotheirprioragreement,

suchmeasuresasgoodoffices,mediation,inquiryorconciliation.TheHighCouncilalso

is given the authority to recommend appropriate measures for the prevention of a

deteriorationof the dispute The PeoplesRepublicofChina acceded tothe TAC in

2003andundertookinwritingfaithfullytoperformandcarryoutallthestipulations

thereincontained.38

In the event that parties are unable to resolve their dispute within the ASEAN

framework,theASEANCOCsetsoutasecondmechanism:thedisputantsmayresortto

dispute settlement mechanism provided under international law, includingUNCLOS.

Thiscouldincludetakingtheircasetoaninternationalcourtforadjudication.

36AcomparisonofthetwodraftsdoesnotsupporttheconclusionreachedbyStoreythatthelanguage

waswatereddown.See:IanStoreyComments,TheNelsonReport,July31,2012.

37Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, Indonesia, 24 February 1976.

http://www.aseansec.org/1217.htm.

38InstrumentofAccessiontotheTreatyofAmityandCooperationinSoutheastAsia,October8,2003,

http://www.aseansec.org/15271.htm.


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UNCLOS, it should be noted, does not contain any provisions for the settlement of

sovereigntydisputesoverislandsandrocks.ItdoesprovideforanInternationalTribunal

fortheLawoftheSea(ITLOS)toadjudicatedisputesovermaritimejurisdiction.39Under

international lawthelanddominatesthe seaandbeforedisputants could take their

casetoITLOStheywouldfirsthavetodeterminesovereigntyoverdisputedislandsand

rocks on which their maritime claims are based. ASEANs Proposed Elements of a

RegionalCodeofConductintheSouthChinaSea,hasnotbeenofficiallyreleasedand

remainsaninternaldraftdocument.

IndonesiaPromotesASEANsSixPrinciplesontheSouthChinaSea.40

At the 45th AMM Retreat Indonesias Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa promised

Indonesiawillcirculateanonpaper[on]possibleandadditionalelementsof[the]COC.

Itismeanttobemoreprescriptiveandoperational.41Inotherwords,ASEANmembers

wouldhavetomeettoapproveanysuggestionsbyIndonesiatoaltertheirdraftCOC

beforemeetingwithChineseseniorofficials.42Followingtherecriminationssparkedat

theRetreat,MartyinitiatedconsultationswiththenineothermembersofASEANinan

efforttorestoreunityinASEANranksandcommitASEANtoacommonposition.43

ForeignMinisterMartyconductedanintenseroundofshuttlediplomacyflyingtofive

capitols(Manila,Hanoi,Bangkok, Phnom Penh andSingapore) overa two-dayperiod

(July18-19).MartyanddelRosarioagreedtoasix-pointproposalthatMartyputtohis

other ASEAN counterparts. When he obtained their agreement Marty left it to

Cambodias Hor Namhong to complete the diplomatic formalities. On July 20, Hor

39UnitedNationsCommissiononLawoftheSea,AnnexVI,InternationalTribunalfortheLawoftheSea.

SeealsoUNCLOS,PartXI,TheArea,Section5,SettlementofDisputesandAdvisoryOpinions,Articles186-

191andPartXV,SettlementofDisputes,Articles279-299.

40StatementofASEANForeignMinistersonASEAN'sSix-PointPrinciplesontheSouthChinaSea,July20,

2012. Cambodias ForeignMinistercouldnot resistusing this occasions to lay theblame forASEAN's

failuretoissueajointcommuniquonVietnamandthePhilippines.

41SummaryofCambodiaChairsinterventionattheAMMRetreat,9July2012,20.

42SeveralASEANdiplomatsconsultedbytheauthorfeltthatthiswasunlikely.

43CarlyleA.Thayer,ASEANUnityRestoredbyShuttleDiplomacy?ThayerConsultancyBackgroundBrief,

July 24, 2012, http://www.scribd.com/doc/101075293/Thayer-ASEAN-Unity-Restored-by-Shuttle-

Diplomacy.


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Namhong, acting inhis capacity asASEAN Chair,officially releasedASEANs Six-Point

Principles on the South China Sea.44In this statement all ASEAN Foreign Ministers

reaffirmedtheircommitmentto:thefullimplementationoftheDOC;Guidelinesforthe

ImplementationoftheDOC;theearlyconclusionofaRegionalCOCintheSouthChina

Sea; fullrespectoftheuniversally recognizedprinciplesof international lawincluding

the 1982 UNCLOS; continued exercise of self-restraint and non-use of force by all

parties; and peaceful resolution ofdisputes in accordance the universally recognized

principlesof international law including the1982UNCLOS.Thestatement concluded:

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers resolve to intensify ASEAN consultations in the

advancement of the above principles, consistent with the Treaty of Amity and

CooperationinSoutheastAsia(1976)andtheASEANCharter(2008).

AChineseForeignMinistryspokesperson,QinGang,respondedtothesedevelopments

byintroducingapre-conditionlinkingcompliancewiththeDOCanddiscussionsonthe

COC.QinGangstated:

Whatconcernspeoplenowisthatsomeindividualcountries,showingnorespectfororcompliance

with the DOC, have time and again resorted to provocativemeans, whichundermined the basic

principlesandspiritoftheDOCandcreateddifficultiesfordiscussingacodeofconduct(COC)inthe

South China Sea. Therefore, while being open to discussing a COC with ASEAN countries, China

believesthatallpartiesconcernedmustactinstrictaccordancewiththeDOCtocreatethenecessary

conditionsandatmosphereofaCOC.45

China then dispatched its Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi on a fence-mending visit to

Indonesia,Brunei andMalaysiafor talkswithhis counterparts.Yangstated ata joint

pressconferenceinJakartathatChinawaswillingtoworkwithASEANtoimplementthe

DOCandonthebasisofconsensustoworktowardtheeventualadoptionoftheCOC.46

44

StatementofASEANForeignMinistersonASEAN'sSix-PointPrinciplesontheSouthChinaSea,July20,2012. Cambodias ForeignMinistercouldnot resistusing this occasions to lay theblame forASEAN's

failuretoissueajointcommuniquonVietnamandthePhilippines.

45Statement by Spokesperson Qin Gang of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China on the US State

DepartmentissuingaSo-calledPressStatementontheSouthChinaSea,August4,2012.Iamgratefulto

GregTorodeoftheSouthChinaMorningPostforpointingoutthesignificanceofthisstatement.

46TarraQuismundo,ChinasaysitswillingtoeaseAseanriftonsea,PhilippinesDailyInquirer,August11,

2012.


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ForeignMinisterYanghelddiscussionswithMalaysian ForeignMinisterY.B. Dato Sri

AnifahHjAman inKualaLumpur. Therewas nojointpressconference.AnifahAman

statedhewasconfidentwecanresolvethismatter[disputesintheSouthChinaSea]

throughpeacefulmeans.Hethenobserved,[t]hereareoverlappingclaimsbymember

countries.LetusdiscusstheseamongASEANcountriesfirstbeforewetalktoChina.We

canonlyachievethisobjectiveintheSouthChinaSeaifallpartiesagree.ThenChinacan

appreciatethisand realise it isASEANswish.47This statement seemed to imply that

ASEAN-China discussions on the COC, if and when they take place, would be a

protractedprocess.

ForeignMinister Yang pointedly did not visit the Philippines during his three-nation

swing. Nonetheless, the Philippines kept diplomatic channels open with the visit of

SecretarydelRosariotoBeijingtovisittheailingPhilippineambassador.48OnAugust25

hemetwithhiscounterpartYangJiechi.Thecontentofthesediscussionswasclosely

held. A spokesperson for the Department of Foreign Affairs laconically noted

discussionswereproductiveandissuesofmutualconcernwerediscussedinapositive

atmosphere.49DelRosariotoldthepressthathewouldbeagreeabletoavisittoManila

byahigh-leveldelegationfromChina.

IndonesiasZeroDraftCodeofConduct

Atthe45thAMMRetreatForeignMinisterMartypromised,Indonesiawillcirculatea

nonpaper[on]possibleandadditionalelementsof[the]COC.Itismeanttobemore

prescriptiveandoperational.ThisnonpaperwasquicklydubbedtheZeroDraftCode

ofConduct.InSeptember2012,IndonesiapresenteditsZeroDraftARegionalCodeof

Conduct intheSouthChina Sea50toASEAN ForeignMinisters onthesidelines ofthe

47AgenceFrance-Presse,MalaysiaurgesASEANtouniteoverSouthChinaSea,August12,2012.

48PiaLee-Brago,DelRosariofliestoBeijigtovisitBrady,ThePhilippineStar,August27,2012.

49QuotedinTarraQuismundo,DelRosariomeetwithChineseofficial, PhilippineDailyInquirer,August

25,2012.

50The author has a copy in his possession. The Zero Draft inmarked confidential; the name of the

recipientcountryappearsonthefirstpageandasawatermarkonallpages.MarkValenciaprovidedthe


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annualUNGeneralAssemblysessioninNewYork.IndonesiasRegionalCodeofConduct

draws heavily on three sources: the 2002 DOC, ASEANs Proposed Elements of a

RegionalCodeofConduct,andASEANsSix-PointPrinciplesontheSouthChinaSea.51

IndonesiasRegionalCode ofConduct includes several new and possibly contentious

points. Article 3 (Basic Understandings), for example, includes the following three

commitments:committorespecttheexclusiveeconomiczoneandcontinentalshelfof

thecoastalstatesasprovidedforin1982UNCLOS;undertaketorespecttheprovisions

ofthisCOCandtakeofactionsconsistenttherewith;[and]encourageothercountriesto

respect the purposes and principles contained in this COC. Article 4 (Areas of

Application)stipulateswithoutprejudicetoterritorialclaims,theCOCshallbeapplied

inallunresolvedmaritimeboundaryareasofthepartiesconcernedintheSouthChina

Sea.

Article 5 (Territorial claims in the South China Sea) contains the following legal

disclaimers:

1.NothingcontainedinthisCOCshallbeinterpretedas:

RenunciationbyanyPartyofpreviouslyassertedrightsoforclaimstoterritorialsovereigntyintheSouthChinaSea;

PrejudicingthepositionofanyPartyasregardsitsrecognitionornon-recognitionofanyothersStatesrightoforclaimorbasisofclaimtoterritorialsovereigntyintheSouthChinaSea.

2.No acts or activities taking placewhile the present COC is in force shall constitute a basis for

asserting,supportingordenyingaclaimtoterritorialsovereigntyintheSouthChinaSeaorcreateany

rightsofsovereigntyintheSouthChinaSea.

3.ThePartiesconcernedundertaketoresolvetheirterritorialandjurisdictionaldisputesbypeaceful

means,withoutresortingtothethreatoruseofforce,throughfriendlyconsultationsandnegotiations

by sovereign states directly concerned, in accordance with universally recognized principles of

internationallaw,includingthe1982UNConventionontheLawoftheSea(DOC).

Perhapsthemost contentiousproposalswere setout inArticle6 (Implementation of

theCodeofConduct).Article6containstwoverydetailedpoints.Thefirstdealswith

firstpublicanalysisofthisdocument,see:Valencia,NavigatingDifferences:WhattheZerodraftCodeof

ConductfortheSouthChinaSeaSays(andDoesntSay),GlobalAsia,8(1),Spring2003,72-78.

51ExtensiveextractsfromASEANsProposedElementsof aRegionalCodeofConductarehighlighted in

greyonIndonesiasZeroDraft.


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rules/norms and procedures in carrying out confidence-buildingmeasures. The draft

textstates:

TheParties concernedagreedto enhancemutualtrustandconfidenceby,amongothers,refraining

from:

conductingmilitaryexercise,militarysurveillance,orotherprovocativeactionsintheSouthChinaSea;

occupyingorerectingnewstructureontheislands,andlandfeaturespresentlyoccupiedornotbythepartiesconcerned;

inhabitingthepresentlyuninhabitedislandsandotherlandfeatures; conductingactivitiesthatthreatennavigationalsafelyand/orpollutingtheenvironment;ThePartiesagreedto encourage efforts to clarify disputesin accordancewith international law, in

particulartheUNCLOS.Encouragethepartiesconcernedtoworktogethertodefineandclarifythe

territorial and maritime disputes in the South China Sea, based on international law, including

UNCLOS.

Article6alsocontainsdetailedprovisionsforpreventingincidentsandcollisionsatsea

includingcomplyingwiththe1972InternationalRegulationsforPreventingCollisionsat

Sea (COLREGS) and other unspecified relevant international instruments. Article 6

states:

ThePartiesfurtheragreedtorefrainfromthefollowing:

simulatingattacksbyaimingguns,missilelaunchers,torpedotubesorotherweaponsinthedirectionofothervessel/aircraft;

launchingobjectsorfiringsignalflaresinthedirectionofanyshiporaircraftsoastoposeadanger,constituteahazard,orinterferewithnavigationandflightofothershiporaircraft.

usinglaserinsuchamannersoastocauseinjurytopersonnelordamagetoequipmentaboardofothershiporaircraft;

intentionallyinterferingwithcommunicationsystemsofothershiporaircraft.Article 6 set out details governing breakdown, safe speed, safe distance, modes of

communication,mutuallyassistingpersonsandvesselsindistressatsea,andreporting

mechanisms (including ahot line). Article7 lefttheprecisemonitoring andreporting

mechanismtobeagreedinfuturebetweenChinaandASEAN.

Article 8 contained two dispute mechanisms related to the interpretation andapplicationoftheCOC:thedisputesettlementmechanismundertheASEANTACand

thedisputesettlementmechanismprovidedunderinternationallaw,includingUNCLOS.

ThesetwomechanismswerepreviouslyincludedingreaterdetailinASEANsProposed

ElementsofaRegionalCodeofConduct.


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InlateOctober2012,Thailand,ascountrycoordinatorforASEANsrelationswithChina,

hosted an informalmeeting ofASEANand Chinese officials in Pattaya. Thismeeting

considered guidelines for negotiations over the coming year. A Thai official told

journaliststhatitmighttakeanothertwoyearstoreachagreementonaCOC.

In November internal ASEAN divisions emerged and the conclusions of the ASEAN

SummitheldinPhnomPenh.WhenCambodiasforeignminister,speakingastheASEAN

Chair, announced that consensus hadbeenreachednot to internationalize territorial

disputes in the South China Sea the Philippines publicly objected and the offending

referencewasdropped.

StrawsintheWind:ReschedulingChina-ASEANTalksontheCOC

OnJanuary22,2013thePhilippineslodgedaformallegalclaimwiththeUnitedNations

to establish an Arbitral Tribunal under UNCLOS.52 China rejected this claim. These

developmentsimmediatelyraisedconcernamongASEANmembers,notleastbecause

the Philippines unilaterally submitted its claimwithout prior consultation with other

ASEAN members. There was also concern that the Philippine action would delay

discussionswith China ona Code ofConduct.53Diplomatic sources in Southeast Asia

reportedinMarch2013thatthePhilippineactionshavebreathedallthelifeoutofthe

COCprocess.54SoutheastAsiandiplomaticsourcesprivatelyreportedthatBeijingwas

puttingdiplomaticpressureonASEANstatestolobbythePhilippinestodropitslegal

actionwiththeUNinreturnforrestartingtalksontheCOC.55Onethinktankconcluded

that,ManilasstrategymightactuallyhavestrengthenedBeijingshand:itsmovehas

52Carlyle A. Thayer, South China Sea: China Rejects Arbitration Claim by the Philippines, Thayer

ConsultancyBackgroundBrief,March3,2013,availableat Scribd.comandCarlyleA.Thayer,Chinaat

OddswithU.N.Treaty,USNINews[USNavalInstitute],March11,2013.

http://news.usni.org/2013/03/11/china-at-odds-with-u-n-treaty#more-2251.

53ForapessimisticviewontheprospectsforaCOCsee:IanStorey,SlippingAway?ASouthChinaSea

CodeofConductEludesDiplomaticEfforts,EastandSouthChinaSeasBulletin,no.11,March20,2013

54Basedonoff-the-recorddiscussionsheldonMarch12-13,2013.

55Basedonoff-the-recorddiscussionsheldonMarch12-13,2013.


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underminedASEANunityandrisksnegativelyimpactingeffortstoestablishaCodeof

Conduct.56

Despite these negative assessments there are some straws in the wind that ASEAN

effortstoengageChinaindiscussionsonaCOCmaybebearingfruit.57

InJanuary2013,

after the ASEAN Chair passed from Cambodia to Brunei, for example, Brunei and

ASEANsnewSecretaryGeneral,LeLuongMinh,bothpledgedtogiveprioritytoreviving

discussionsontheCOC.58BruneisSultanraisedtheissueoftheCOCwithPresidentXi

JinpingwhentheymetonthesidelinesoftheBoaoForuminApril.Sourcesreportthat

Brunei has set October2013 asa target date for completionof the COC.59Secretary

GeneralMinhrequestedIndonesiasPresidentSusiloBambangYudhoyonotoassistin

addressingtheSouthChinaSeadispute.60

Thailand,asASEANsdesignatedcoordinator

fordialoguerelationswithChina,alsohaspledgedtotakeupthematterwithBeijing.61

Prior to themeeting ofASEAN ForeignMinisters inBrunei on11April 2013,ASEAN

SeniorOfficialsdrewupadraftstatementonthewayforwardontheCOC.AttheAMM,

Foreign Secretary del Rosario presented an explanation for his countrys actions in

56PhilippinelegalmovestirsSouthChinaSeadisputes, StrategicComments (InternationalInstitutefor

StrategicStudies),vol.19,April2013.

57FordiscussiononASEANsmostrecentdraftCOCandapossibleASEANTroikasee:MarkValencia,

NavigatingDifferences:WhattheZeroDraftCodeofConductfortheSouthChinaSeaSays(andDoesnt

Say),GlobalAsia,8(1),Spring2013,72-78andMichaelA.McDevittandLewStern,VietNamandthe

South China Sea, inMichaelA. McDevitt,M. Taylor Fravel,LewisM. Stern, TheLongLittoralProject:

SouthChinaSea,CNAStrategicStudies,March27,2013,61-74.

58NewASEANchairBruneitoseekSouthChinaSeacodeofconduct,GMANews,14January2013;New

ASEANchiefseektofinaliseCodeofConductonSouthChinaSea,ChannelNewsAsia,9January2013;

TermsakChalermpalanupap,TowardacodeofconductfortheSouthChinaSea,TheNation,22January

2013,

59PhilippinelegalmovestirsSouthChinaSeaDisputes.

60BagusBTSaragih,ASEANchiefpushesRItoactonSouthChinaSeadispute,TheJakartaPost,April9,

2013.

61No immediate solution for South China Seadispute:Shanmugam,Channel NewsAsia, 14January

2013;ThailandseekstalksonSouthChinaSea,BangkokPost,15January2013;SihasakseeksSouth

China Seaparley,Bangkok Post, 25 January2013andGreg Torode, Manilas lonely pathover South

ChinaSea,SouthChinaMorningPost,11February2013.


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seeking anArbitral Tribunal, and reaffirmed his support for a legally binding COC.62

IndonesiasForeignMinisterMartyNatalegawatoldreportersthatChinahadrequested

aspecialmeetingtodiscussprogressontheCodeofConduct.63Henotedthatnodate

was set for the meeting. Other sources reported, however, that China did not

specificallyrequestameetingontheCOCbutameetingtodiscussthetenthanniversary

oftheChina-ASEANstrategicpartnership(2003-13).64

Later inApril, ForeignMinisterMarty, reactingtonew assertiveness byChina in the

SouthChina Sea, told journaliststhatthe23rd ASEAN Summitwouldmostlybeabout

making sure that things do not regress. Marty charged China with flouting its

commitmentsunderthe2002DOCtoexercisemaximumrestraintandconcludedYou

areseeinganumberofunilateralstepsthatChinahatakenthatisclearlynotinlinewith

thespiritoftheDOC.65

Therewassomespeculationthattheleadersattendingthe23rdASEANSummit(14-15

April) would issue a statement on the South China Sea.66In the event the leaders

discussionontheSouthChinaSeawassummarizedsuccinctlyin theChairsStatement

issuedbyBrunei.Theoperativeparagraphsread:

59. We discussed the situation in the South China Sea and reaffirmed the importance of peace,

stabilityandmaritime security intheregion.Weunderscoredthe importanceof theDeclarationonConductofPartiesintheSouthChinaSea(DOC),ASEANsSix-PointPrinciplesontheSouthChinaSea,

and the Joint Statement on the 10th Anniversary of the DOC. In this regard, we reaffirmed the

collectivecommitmentsundertheDOCtoensuringthepeacefulresolutionofdisputesinaccordance

with universally recognised principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations

ConventionontheLawoftheSea,withoutresortingtothethreatoruseofforce,whileexercisingself-

restraintintheconductofactivities.

62DelRosario:UNarbitrationonsearowupholdsruleoflaw,ThePhilippinesStar,April11,2013and

PiaLee-Brago,PhltoAsean:Weneedlegallybindingseacode,ThePhilippineStar,April12,2013.

63AgenceFrancePresse,ASEAN,Chinatomeetonmaritimecodeofconduct,TheEconomicTimes,April

11,2013.

64Privatecommentsmadetotheauthorbyareputablejournalist,April17,2013.

65Reuters, China consolidates sea claims as Asian diplomacy struggles, IBN Live, April 23, 2013. All

quotationsinthisparagrapharefromthissource.

66AgenceFrancePresse,ASEAN,Chinatomeetonmaritimecodeofconduct,andAseanstatementon

seaclaimsup,ManilaStandardToday,April11,2013.ThiswouldhavebeenthirdthirdASEANstatement

ontheSouthChinaSea;thefirstwasissuedin1992andthesecondin1995.


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60.WelookedforwardtocontinuedengagementwithChinainimplementingtheDOCinafulland

effectivemanner,includingthroughmutuallyagreedjointcooperativeactivitiesandprojects.Taking

intoaccounttheimportanceofthe10thanniversaryoftheASEAN-ChinaStrategicPartnershipin2013,

andthepositivemomentumfollowingthe9thASEAN-ChinaSeniorOfficialsConsultations,wetasked

ourMinisterstocontinuetoworkactivelywithChinaonthewayforwardfortheearlyconclusionofa

CodeofConductintheSouthChinaSea(COC)onthebasisofconsensus.67

TheASEANSummitendorsedaproposalbyThailandtohostaspecialmeetingofforeign

ministersinBangkokpriortotheASEAN-ChinaSummitscheduledforOctober.68Laterin

AprilASEANsSecretaryGeneralMinhannouncedthatASEANandChinawouldmeetat

ministeriallevellaterintheyeartodiscusstheCOC.69

InlateApril/earlyMayChinasnewForeignMinisterWangLimadeavisittoThailand,

Indonesia,SingaporeandBrunei.DuringLisvisittoJakartatherewereconflictingmedia

reports on what was agreed. According to Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa,

agreementwasreachedtoholdameetingoftheASEAN-ChinaWorkingGrouponthe

DOCinthenearfuturetodiscusstheCOC.MartyalsoendorsedLisproposaltosetup

an Eminent Persons Group to complement the government-to-government talks.70

WhenLimetASEANSecretaryGeneralMinh,Minhreportedthatagreementhadbeen

reachedtoholdaspecialmeetingofforeignministersinAugusttodiscusstheCOC.71

Conclusion

MediareportingonASEANs failure toproducea jointcommuniqufollowing its 45th

AnnualMinisterialMeetinginPhnomPenhinJuly2012overshadowedthefactthatthe

ASEANForeignMinistersunanimouslyreachedagreementonProposedElementsofa

67Chairmans Statement of the 22

nd ASEAN Summit, Our People, Our Future Together, Bandar Seri

Begawan,April24-5,2013.

68Kyodo News International, ASEAN leaders discuss how to deal with China on South China Sea,

GlobalPost.com,April30,2013.

69Xinhua,ASEANtoenterSouthChinaSeatalkswithChinaasagroup:LeLuongMinh,April25,2013.


GlobalPost.com,April30,2013;KyodoNewsInternational,China,Indonesiasuggesttalksonbindingrules

inS.ChinaSea,GlobalPost.com,May1,2013;andBagusBTSaragh,ChinaclosertoSouthChinaSeaCode

ofConduct,Martysays,TheJakartaPost,May3,2013.


GlobalPost.com,April30,2013.


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RegionalCodeofConductintheSouthChinaSeaattheopeningplenarysessionofthe

AMMon9July.

DuringtherecriminationsbetweenCambodiaandthePhilippinesatthe45thAMMand

later in the year Indonesia stepped inand played a crucial role in forging consensus

amongASEANmembersonaRegionalCodeofConductintheSouthChinaSea.During

theheateddebateatthe45thAMMRetreatIndonesiaofferedtosubmitanonpaper

ontheCOC.IndonesiaandSingaporebothattemptedtobrokeracompromiseoverthe

wordingofthecontroversialAMMjointcommuniqu.

When theseefforts failed Indonesia acteddecisively torestoreASEAN unity. Foreign

MinisterMartyNatalegawaemployedshuttlediplomacytoquicklysecureagreementon

Six-PointPrinciplesontheSouthChinaSea.MartyfollowedupbypresentingaZero

DraftCOCtoASEANForeignMinistersonthesidelinesoftheUnitedNationsGeneral

Assembly on 27 September 2012. Indonesias Zero Draft COC was adopted by

consensus.Asa result of Indonesiasefforts, supported byotherkey stakeholders in

ASEAN(BruneiandThailandinparticular),talksbetweenASEANandChinaonaRegional

COCaresettoresume.

Documents

Thayer South China Sea in Regional Politics: Indonesia's Efforts to Forge ASEAN Unity on a Code of Conduct