When met by reporters after leading a ceremony to mark the handing over of the post of navy chief of staff from Admiral Soeparno to Vice Admiral Marsetio, he said that the diplomacy was aimed to encourage the realization of a code of conduct for the settlement of conflicts.
"All leaders in Southeast Asia have agreed on the declaration of conduct for security in the South China Sea. But that is not enough as what is really needed is a code of conduct in settling conflicts," he said.
The code of conduct, he said, was aimed at preventing any eventuality in case military forces were deployed to the region.
"The code of conducts among others calls against involvement of a military force in the settlement of conflicts," he said.
Admiral Agus Suhartono said that although Indonesia is not one of the claimants of parts of the region, but the country needs to take an active role to assure maintenance of security in the region.
"Although situation in the South China Sea is escalating, the Indonesian Navy would not send reinforcements to the area as present forces operating there have been considered sufficient," he said.
(H-YH)
Editor: Maryati
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
