Vitenam endorses ‘more active role in Asia Pacific region’ for India
12 July 2013 5:42 AM IST
Amid China’s growing assertiveness in the South China Sea, Vietnam on Thursday endorsed India’s ‘exploration and exploitation work’ for hydrocarbons in its exclusive economic zone in the sea. Vietnam also voiced support to India’s Look East policy that manifests in New Delhi playing a ‘more active role in the Asia Pacific region’ and the world at large. The country’s foreign minister Pham Binh Minh, said the issue of maritime rights in the South and East China Seas was discussed during talks at the 15th Meeting of the India-Vietnam Joint Commission ‘Our position is that we need to respect the law of UNCLOS to solve the issues in the South China Sea, for peaceful resolution,’ the Vietnamese minister said.
He said both sides also reaffirmed that all the countries bordering the South and East China Seas have rights to their exclusive economic zones, and that India can pursue ‘exploration and exploitation work in the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam’. China in the past has raised serious objections to ONGC’s foreign arm OVL’s participation in oil blocks in the South China Sea off Vietnam’s coast. China claims sovereignty over the areas, but Vietnam has maintained it has rights in the area based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982.
He said both sides also reaffirmed that all the countries bordering the South and East China Seas have rights to their exclusive economic zones, and that India can pursue ‘exploration and exploitation work in the exclusive economic zone of Vietnam’. China in the past has raised serious objections to ONGC’s foreign arm OVL’s participation in oil blocks in the South China Sea off Vietnam’s coast. China claims sovereignty over the areas, but Vietnam has maintained it has rights in the area based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982.
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