Permanent Court of Arbitration must avoid being used for political purposes; says Pakistani think tank

A Pakistani strategic think tank passed a resolution on Monday to support Chinas stand over the Philippine-initiated arbitration on the South China Sea issue, calling for the international arbitral institutions to avoid being used as instrument for political purposes to fuel tensions and disputes, and that the Permanent Court of Arbitration should conduct business strictly within its jurisdiction.

Over 40 senior members of the core committee Pakistani think tank, 101 Friends of China, including famous law makers, retired judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, top lawyers, retired army generals, diplomats, intellectuals and experts on international affairs gathered in Pakistani capital of Islamabad and approved the resolution unanimously, expressing serious concerns over the escalation of tension in the South China Sea and alarm over the military buildup in the recent weeks in the region.

Advisor to Pakistani Prime Minister on National Security, Lieutenant-General (retd) Nasser Khan Janjua, also attended the meeting and endorsed the resolution.

Its a great resolution. The U.S.-dominated uni-polar world is under threat that is why the U.S. wants to curtail rising China. The U.S. is well aware of that it will soon be taken over by China economically, so it is creating unrest around China, said Janjua.

The Philippines filed a compulsory arbitration against China at The Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in 2013.

China maintains that the tribunal has no jurisdiction over the case, which is in essence about territorial sovereignty and maritime delimitation. China, therefore, has made it clear it will not accept or get involved in those proceedings.

Chairman of the think tank and Editor-in-Chief of Pakistans leading English daily Pakistan Observer, Zahid Malik, said The South China Sea and adjoining areas are being militarized by the U.S. It is cooking something bad in the region. We have passed the resolution to urge the world, to go for peace, to avoid the confrontation and to support Chinese stand to solve the issue peacefully through negotiations.

The resolution recognized China's declaration to defend its historical territory and fully endorsed the position taken by China on the South China Sea in regard to its sovereignty over Nansha Islands and the surrounding waters.

A peaceful resolution of disputes through bilateral channels will reinforce the rule of law, while an escalation can drift towards open confrontation leading to disastrous consequences for the region and the globe, reads the resolution.

Addressing the gathering, Political Councilor of Chinese Embassy in Pakistan, Zhao Lijian, termed the resolution appropriate and in time and said It shows the strong support from Pakistani people to the Chinese people.

Expressing hope that no steps will be taken to hurt China's sovereignty and security interests, the resolution also urged all powers in the region to take steps to de-escalate the situation, demilitarize the region and, in doing so, avoid misjudgments that could lead to accidents or unintended conflagration.

Calling for the universal ratification of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the resolution urged all parties to resume bilateral dialogue, including quiet diplomacy, in accordance with their agreements and past practices, in order to explore bilateral peaceful settlement of disputes.

Urging all parties involved to avoid provocative pronouncements and actions, and to exercise utmost restraints and seek peaceful settlements through negotiations, the meeting also acknowledged that China is keen to promote common interests in keeping peace and freedom of navigation in the area and thus explore ways to co-operate. Enditem