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South China Sea issue has to be solved by creative dialogue: Thai expert

Xinhua, July 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

The politicized tribunal award will not help resolve South China Sea conflicts, while a creative dialogue turning conflicts to cooperation is the right approach, a Thai expert said.

"I don't give much weight to the arbitral tribunal. We should look beyond the award. I think we should have alternative dialogue on how we can create functional cooperation," Surakiart Sathirathai, chairman of Saranrom Institute of Foreign Affairs Foundation and the Asian Peace and Reconciliation Council, told Xinhua on Wednesday.

An ad hoc arbitral tribunal in The Hague issued the award over the South China Sea case in favor of the Philippines on Tuesday.

China rejected the ill-founded award as "null, void with no binding force."

China has said it will continue to endeavor to peacefully resolve disputes in the South China Sea with parties directly concerned through negotiation and consultation on the basis of respecting historical facts and in accordance with international law.

Surakiat said once the issue of entitlement or limitation is politicized, either by domestic politics, either by reference to any international legal institution as part of the political game, it will escalate tension.

"Can we solve this problem without referring to any other international organization or any countries outside the region? It is a test for ASEAN nations and China to settle the differences," said Surakiat. Endit