Indonesia can be objective because we are not a claimant state."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government is continuing to promote every effort to build regional stability and peace with regards to the South China Sea dispute that involves China and some ASEAN nations.

"The role of Indonesia in the South China Sea is clear. From the beginning, Indonesia has continued to promote stability and peace in the region," a Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Arrmanatha Nasir, said here on Thursday.

The statement was made in response to questions about the speech that will be delivered by ASEAN in general and Indonesia in particular related to the South China Sea dispute between China and four ASEAN countries, namely Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Brunei Darussalam.

According to Arrmanatha, Indonesia has adopted a neutral stance in efforts to resolve the South China Sea dispute because the country is not a claimant state.

"Indonesia can be objective because we are not a claimant state. We only have one objective, which is peace and stability in the region to achieve peoples prosperity," he remarked.

He added that Indonesia has continued to encourage the effective implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC) to resolve the South China Sea disputes.

Additionally, Arrmanatha emphasized the importance to expeditiously complete the CoC or Code of Conduct to regulate all actions taken by the parties who get involved in the South China Sea dispute.

Earlier, the Director of the Intra-ASEAN Dialogue Partners at the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Derry Aman, said Indonesia has continued to urge China and ASEAN countries, which get involved in the South China Sea dispute to resolve the issue in a diplomatic way for the sake of stability in the region.

"Indonesia is urging dispute settlement through a peaceful way with respect to the legal and diplomatic processes," he said.

Derry emphasized that the main thing that needs to be implemented by all parties involved in the dispute is to refrain from taking provocative actions directly or indirectly.

"Self restrain during this time can still not be achieved. If all parties refrain from taking part in provocative activities then the situation would be conducive," he said.
(Uu.KR-LWA/INE/KR-BSR/H-YH)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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