Kenya backs China's approach to South China Sea disputes

The Kenyan government on Wednesday backed China's stance of excluding maritime delimitation disputes from the UNCLOS third-party dispute settlement procedures, and suggested that the South China Sea disputes be resolved peacefully through negotiation.

The statement from the Kenyan Foreign Ministry says the government "believes that any disputes over the South China Sea should be peacefully resolved through consultations and negotiations in accordance with bilateral agreements and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, an agreement signed by China and member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2002.

The government also respects China's declaration of "optional exception in light of Article 298 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)," which was made by China in 2006 to exclude disputes concerning, among others, maritime delimitation from the UNCLOS third-party dispute settlement procedures.

The statement asked the international community to support the efforts made by countries in the Asia-Pacific region in safeguarding regional peace and stability.

Many countries, including Russia, India, Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Fiji, Uganda, Sudan, Gambia, Algeria, Comoros, Lebanon, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Yemen, have recently voiced support for China's position of dealing with the South China Sea disputes between the direct parties through peaceful negotiations. Endi