Del Rosario to push for peaceful settlement of sea rows at UN meeting

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario. AP FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario on Friday said that he would continue to push for peaceful settlements of territorial disputes with China when he attends the United Nations General Assembly in New York next month.

In an interview with reporters at the sidelines of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reception of its Eid al-Fitr celebration in Pasay City, Del Rosario said he would be speaking in two occasions at the UN meet— to deliver the remarks of President Benigno Aquino III, and to speak on peaceful resolution of disputes upon invitation from the President of the said assembly.

Asked what he would like to speak with representatives of the UN general assembly on the country’s territorial disputes with China, Del Rosario said “I think it should be peaceful to begin with and it should be in accordance with a rules-based regime, following international law and I think that disputes should be pursued without the use of force or the threat of the use of force.”

Based on information posted on its official website, a high-level meeting of the General Assembly on September 24 in New York would address the topic of the rule of law at the national and international levels.

The UN General Assembly is described as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the United Nations. Representatives from the 193-member states of the United Nations meets in regular sessions from September to December every year to discuss international issues covered by its charter.

Del Rosario also said that the chair of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) has also scheduled a meeting at the sidelines of the UN meeting but that there has been no discussion on the agenda yet.

When asked about the follow-up plans on the dispute after what transcribed in the last meeting in Cambodia, Del Rosario said “Well, I have not finalized the plans yet but I intend to visit the certain members of ASEAN before the summit.”

Asean came under direct scrutiny after it was not able to issue a joint statement because of disagreements on the Scarborough shoal dispute.

Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario has also said that the Cambodian foreign ministry had selected a female diplomat to replace Hos Sereythonh, the ambassador recalled earlier this month after issuing a letter accusing the Philippines and Vietnam of “dirty politics” in pushing for a united stand by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) on their territorial disputes with China in the West Philippine Sea.

Del Rosario has said the diplomat was “a lady that’s quite high in the ministry”  and was of “assistant secretary rank.”

Del Rosario said that the diplomat was just awaiting an agremonte and that the Philippines had no problems receiving her as the new ambassador.