Indonesia urges region’s lawmakers: Uphold Unclos

INDONESIA called on the countries belonging to the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF) to respect the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos) and “double efforts” in maintaining peace and stability in the region.

The Indonesian lawmakers made the proposal in a draft resolution they submitted to the 31st APPF meeting which opened Thursday at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC).

The resolution urged the APPF’s member-states to strengthen the commitment in “promoting and maintaining peace, security, stability, safety, and freedom of navigation across the East and South China Sea.”

Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri. Contributed Photo 

Senate President Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri said the Indonesian resolution “has persuasive powers if we adopt it. When they (APPF member lawmakers) go back to their countries they can discuss this particular issue and present the agreements that we made,” Zubiri said during a joint press briefing with House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez.

Indonesia urged the grouping to pursue peaceful resolutions of the disputes in the South China Sea based on universally recognized principles of international law.

It also proposed joint cooperation in combating transnational organized crimes.

Some members of the APPF, including the Philippines and China, have conflicting claims in the South China Sea, believed to be rich in gas and mineral deposits.

Manila and Beijing have been accusing each other of violating the Unclos in asserting their claims.

The Indonesian delegation said the APPF must abide by the Unclos and ensure the full and effective implementation of the 2002 Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DoC).

Indonesia also urged the APPF to continue working on protecting the safety of the sea line communications both in East and South China Sea for search and rescue, preventing oil spills, regulation of maritime installations and counter operations against piracy and terrorism, trade shipping lines, gathering natural sea resource1s, and other sea-based activities.

Zubiri and Romualdez welcomed parliamentarians from Canada, Australia, China, Japan, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

“We in the Senate and the House of Representatives are proud to host this year’s Annual Meeting of the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum, where we are welcoming 275 foreign delegates, including the senate presidents of the senates of Thailand and Malaysia,” said Zubiri in his opening remarks.

The delegates also approved the nomination of the following chairmen: Sen. Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano and Rep. Camille Villar as Women Parliamentarians co-chairmen; Sen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa and Rep. Maria Rachel “Baby” Arenas as co-chairmen for Political and Security Matters; Rep. Stella Quimbo and Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as co-chairmen for Economic, and Trade Matters; Sen. Francis Tolentino and Rep. Raymond Democrito Mendoza as co-chairmen for Regional Cooperation in the Asia-Pacific; and Rep. Jude Acidre and Sen. Mark Villar as co-chairmen for Young Parliamentarians.

Senate President Pro Tempore Lorna Regina “Loren” Legarda was nominated to head the Drafting Committee and Rep. Lawrence Defensor as co-chairman.

Zubiri said the participating parliaments have submitted resolutions on Political and Security Matters, Economic and Trade Matters, and Regional Cooperation, which will be discussed in plenary and in working groups over the next three days.

The resolutions cover a wide range of topics, from climate action and transnational crimes to universal health care and critical infrastructure.

In all, 37 resolutions from 10 countries will be presented during the four-day meeting.

Zubiri said that on the final day, “we will be producing a joint communiqué that will reflect the discussions and developments of the APPF 31. It will be signed by all heads of delegations, and will then serve as a guiding document for our multilateral cooperation and partnerships as we go forward.”

“In a sense, we see our hosting of the APPF as a coming-out party for the Philippines — a signal of our active presence as a partner in pursuing peace, prosperity and progress in the Asia-Pacific region,” he said.

Romualdez believes that the country’s hosting of the APPF will bring significant economic benefits to Filipinos.

“The visiting delegates can encourage businessmen in their countries to come to the Philippines not just for tourism, for education, or for culture, but for all facets of relationship,” he said.

Zubiri said the meeting will also help the country secure free trade agreements with some of the participating countries through their parliaments.

“Our farmers can export to China, Korea, and Japan and will have easier access, since the visiting delegates will be the ones to promote our country and push with their parliaments for closer ties to the Philippines,” he said.