MALAYSIA WANTS LAW OF THE SEA TO DECIDE ON SPRATLY CLAIMS

KUALA LUMPUR, April 25 (Bernama) -- Malaysia wants the claims on the Spratly

islands to be settled through application of the United Nations Convention of

the Law of the Sea, Deputy Prime Minister Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said today.

He said that Malaysia did not want the issue to harm its relations with the

other claimants -- China, Brunei, the Philippines and Vietnam.

"China is of the view that the matter should be settled bilaterally. We

think that is important, but we have Asean, so discussions among Asean members

are also important," he told reporters here after opening the Kuala Lumpur

International Book Festival 2011.

Muhyuiddin, who recently visited China, said that Malaysia agreed with China

that the issue should be settled diplomatically.

He said that Malaysia wanted a code of the convention on the Law of the Sea

to be used to settle claims on the islands in the South China Sea which have

significant reserves of oil and natural gas.

--BERNAMA

HAZ LES