Manila, Nov 13 (AP) Southeast Asian leaders were toannounce today the start of negotiations with China on a so-called "Code of Conduct" in the disputed South China Sea inwhat they regard as a milestone but some experts dismiss as anon-starter.
Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nationsalso will sign an accord aiming to protect migrant workersfrom the poverty-wracked region during a two-day summit thatopened today in Manila, according to a draft of a post-summitcommunique seen by The Associated Press.
The ASEAN leaders also will reiterate their "graveconcern" over North Korea's development of "weapons of massdestruction, including nuclear and chemical weapons, andballistic missile technologies," and press their strongcondemnation of terrorism in the communique.
A draft a joint statement to be issued later in the dayafter ASEAN's summit with China and seen by the AP welcomesthe adoption by their foreign ministers in August of theframework of the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea as "animportant milestone."It announces that both sides have agreed to officiallystart negotiations on the code.
The statement expresses trust "that we will continue thispositive momentum and work towards a substantive and effectiveCOC" and looks forward to the code's early conclusion.
Greg Poling, a Washington-based South China Sea expert,however, said, "The idea that this is going to lead to abinding way to manage things like fisheries depletion and oiland gas development or coast guard cooperation is a fantasy,and Beijing knows that.""It took 15 years to negotiate a one-page outline thatjust restated the exact same thing they're going to do withDOC," he said, referring to the nonbinding Declaration on theConduct of Parties in the South China Sea signed in 2002.
"If you look at the framework agreement signed earlierthis year, there's nothing there."China has been opposed to a legally binding code, andSoutheast Asian diplomats said even ASEAN is not unanimous inseeking a legally binding set of rules. (AP)KIS.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.