Palace disappointed at absence of Asean communiqué

Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte

MANILA, Philippines—A Malacañang spokeswoman voiced disappointment Saturday at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations’ failure to issue a joint communiqué  following lengthy discussions among its foreign ministers on a proposed code of conduct to be followed by all states laying claims to territories in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Abigail Valte, one of President Benigno Aquino’s spokespersons, said the Philippine government’s response to this  development would have to be discussed among concerned officials upon the return of Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario from Cambodia, where the last Asean ministerial meeting was held.

“We share the disappointment of also the other foreign ministers. I believe there have been statements from different foreign ministers that attended the meeting in Cambodia,” Valte said over state-run radio dzRB.

“In 45 years it’s the first time that this has happened that a communiqué  has not been issued despite the fact that the Asean dealt with contentious issues in the past,” she added.

Nonetheless, Valte indicated that Aquino will attend the Asean summit scheduled in November.

Malacañang was eagerly awaiting the Asean’s joint communiqué  in the wake of China’s increasingly aggressive behavior as one of the claimants to territories in the West Philippine Sea, the name by which the Manila government now refers to the South China Sea.

Aside from China and Taiwan, four other countries—all members of Asean: the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei—lay claim to islands scattered all over the sea, believed to be rich in oil, natural gas and other resources.