Sinabi ng legal experts na pinalalala lamang ng Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) ang gusot sa West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) dahil sa kawalan ng pagkakaisa upang disiplinahin ang China sa illegal reclamation nito sa mga pinagtatalunang bahagi ng tubig.
Nanawagan ang mga eksperto sa 10-member states na magpakita ng pagkakaisa at paninindigan laban sa China na patuloy na hindi kumikilala sa desisyon ng international arbitration court.
Sa joint communiqué matapos ang pulong sa Laos, muling inihayag ng foreign ministers sa rehiyon ang kanilang pagrespeto at pangako sa freedom of navigation at overflight sa WPS alinsunod sa international law, ngunit natigil ito sandali sa paglabas ng arbitral award.
“If China actually acts in ways and actions that are clearly in contradiction with the terms of the award, then of course, it opens up possible actions that require other countries that might,” sabi ni Prof. Herman Joseph Kraft ng University of the Philippines-Diliman’s Political Science Department, sa isang panayam ng diplomatic press corps.
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“Like I said, act or back that incidence. The actions that have been taken in the past weeks results unpredictability, that’s where possible incidence may arise,” dugtong nito.
Sinabi naman ni Prof. Michael Heazle, ng Griffith University’s School of Government and International Relations sa Australia’ na kailangan ang kooperasyon ng mga kasaping bansa at magbigay ng nagkakaisang pagtutol mga paghahabol sa dagat ng China.
“If that kind of unified opposition and support is not forthcoming, it creates the more dangerous situation because that means that external powers to the dispute, such as the United States and potentially its allies, will become more directly involved,” pahayag ni Heazle.
“It’s very clear that if we want to keep the situation from escalating into greater tension between the great powers, we need to see a far more united political front among the Asean states,” diin nito. - Bella Gamotea
