Kerry, ASEAN Ministers Talk South China Sea

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2014-08-10

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry is in Burma, also known as Myanmar, for talks with Southeast Asian foreign ministers about tensions in the South China Sea and other multilateral issues.

Kerry began the day Saturday by meeting with the senior diplomats from members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, assembled in the administrative capital of Naypyidaw for an annual security conference.

The United States had submitted a proposal for a freeze on provocative acts in the disputed region. However, the ASEAN members say they have not discussed the plan because they signed an agreement with China on "self restraint" in 2002.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi accused the U.S. of exaggerating the dispute and repeated that China has a right to safeguard its own sovereignty.

China claims sovereignty over almost all of the South China Sea. However, ASEAN member states Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam also claim parts of the sea. Taiwan also has claims in the area.

The delegates say it is up to ASEAN to deal directly with China on any sovereignty disputes.

Source: Voice of America

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