According to Sakharova, Russia supports the efforts of China and the ASEAN to draft a Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. Russia calls for non-use of force in sea disputeRussia urged countries with separate claims to territories in the resource-rich South China Sea, particularly the Philippines and China, to honor the principle of the non-use of force and for them to continue to search for a diplomatic settlement based on international law, mainly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. She reiterated that Russia is not involved in territorial disputes in the region and that it has no intention of getting involved. “We consider it a matter of principle not to side with any party,” Sakharova said. “We believe that the concerned parties should conduct negotiations in a format they define.”She echoed the earlier statement issued by Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov about Russia’s belief that attempts to interfere in a resolution of territorial issues in the South China Sea by external parties to be counter-productive.

Source: Manila Bulletin July 18, 2016 14:03 UTC