MEMO TO UN PHL ANSWER TO CHINA’S CLAIM IN WEST PHL SEA - CASTELO Rep. Winston “Winnie” Castelo (Liberal Party, 2nd District of Quezon City) today dismissed threats of reprisals from China over the Philippine government’s filing of its memorandum to challenge before the United Nations regarding Beijing’s claims over the West Philippine Sea, but stressed that the decision is necessary to bring to international forum the Philippine answer China’s claim. “China can impose whatever economic and political reprisals it wishes to impose about our claim of sovereignty to the exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea, but we will always seek what is generally accepted way to settle the issue under the international law,” Castelo said. “But China should be reminded that it courts isolation in the international community if it takes reprisal actions against our decision to seek the international forum under the auspices of the United Nations,” Castelo said. “China is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law on the Seas,” Castelo said. “It can’t ignore its obligations and commitments under the international treaties, which comprise international law.” Castelo made the statement as Manila submitted on March 30 its Memorial challenging before the United Nations the claims of China over the West Philippine Sea. According to Castelo, the filing of Manila’s Memorial, or official pleadings, before the UN is a reaffirmation of the Philippines position that any settlement of the China and Philippine claims on West Philippine Sea should be sought before a multilateral forum. “This is also tantamount to a rejection of Beijing’s position that its settlement should be pursued along bilateral lines,” Castelo said. “Beijing should understand that the decision has been made and the Philippines would never back out from its decision to settle the issue in a multilateral forum,” Castelo said adding that the Memorial contains the essential documentation of the entire issue from the Philippine perspective. #
Posted on: Tue, 01 Apr 2014 00:15:05 +0000
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