Professor Jerome Cohen from New York University’s School of Law saysChina should enter negotiations and settle the current territorialdispute peacefully or it will make things difficult for itself, radioThe Voice of Vietnam (VOV) reported.
Cohen made therecommendation in an interview granted to VOV online, following aninternational conference on the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa(Spratly) archipelagos, held in the central city of Da Nang on June20-21.
Given the escalating tensions in the East Sea, Cohen saidVietnam should try to persuade China to resolve the matterdiplomatically, in the interests of both sides and for the sake ofregional peace.
China cannot expect to exploit natural resources in Vietnam’s the exclusive economic zone without resistance, he said.
Accordingto the professor, if China refuses to sit at the negotiating table andintentionally continues its intimidation tactics, Vietnam has no choicebut to use legal actions to deal with the matter.
He suggestedthat Vietnam bring China to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) tosue China for not conforming to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of theSea (UNCLOS) to which China is a signatory.
Like thePhilippines case, he said Vietnam can file a petition to the ICJunilaterally without China’s recognition or regardless of itsopposition.
Without Chinese involvement, the Vietnamese casewill become more difficult, however it does show to the world that Chinadefies Vietnam’s goodwill and neglects the peaceful settlement of theissue.
In March 2014 the Philippines filed a lawsuit rejectingChina’s nine-dash line that covers more than 80 percent of the EastSea’s area, into the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea(ITLOS).
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hagueannounced on June 3 that China once again did not recognise the suit andrefuses to attend any related trial.
Whether Vietnamcooperates with the Philippines or sues China unilaterally depends onthe current relationship between Vietnam and China. Considering thecurrent tensions in the East Sea, the use of legal action against Chinais a rational way for Vietnam to respond, Cohen said.
He concluded that legal action is not the way to show off strength, but it is how to demonstrate justice.-VNA
Cohen made therecommendation in an interview granted to VOV online, following aninternational conference on the Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa(Spratly) archipelagos, held in the central city of Da Nang on June20-21.
Given the escalating tensions in the East Sea, Cohen saidVietnam should try to persuade China to resolve the matterdiplomatically, in the interests of both sides and for the sake ofregional peace.
China cannot expect to exploit natural resources in Vietnam’s the exclusive economic zone without resistance, he said.
Accordingto the professor, if China refuses to sit at the negotiating table andintentionally continues its intimidation tactics, Vietnam has no choicebut to use legal actions to deal with the matter.
He suggestedthat Vietnam bring China to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) tosue China for not conforming to the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of theSea (UNCLOS) to which China is a signatory.
Like thePhilippines case, he said Vietnam can file a petition to the ICJunilaterally without China’s recognition or regardless of itsopposition.
Without Chinese involvement, the Vietnamese casewill become more difficult, however it does show to the world that Chinadefies Vietnam’s goodwill and neglects the peaceful settlement of theissue.
In March 2014 the Philippines filed a lawsuit rejectingChina’s nine-dash line that covers more than 80 percent of the EastSea’s area, into the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea(ITLOS).
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hagueannounced on June 3 that China once again did not recognise the suit andrefuses to attend any related trial.
Whether Vietnamcooperates with the Philippines or sues China unilaterally depends onthe current relationship between Vietnam and China. Considering thecurrent tensions in the East Sea, the use of legal action against Chinais a rational way for Vietnam to respond, Cohen said.
He concluded that legal action is not the way to show off strength, but it is how to demonstrate justice.-VNA
