Nook Luvin Hers Stiff
The Indonesian Permanent Mission to the United Nations submitted a note confirming China's "historic right" in the South China Sea to be inconsistent with UNCLOS.
The note was sent by the Indonesian permanent delegation at the United Nations to General Secretary António Guterres on June 12, in response to China's note sent on June 2 regarding the South China Sea.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (center) attended a debate session at the UN Security Council in January 2019 Photo: BNG Indonesia
In this note, Indonesia stated two points to reaffirm its stance on the East Sea issue under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982 (UNCLOS) and the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on 12/5/2016.
"No entity in the Spratly Islands is entitled to an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) or continental shelf, so no entity here creates an area overlapping with the EEZ or continental shelf of Indonesia," the note said.
The second point mentioned by Indonesia in the note is that no historical rights related to China exist in the EEZ and continental shelf of Indonesia.
Therefore, Indonesia recognizes that there is no legal reason under international law, especially UNCLOS, to conduct negotiations on delimitation of maritime boundaries with China or on any other issues related to rights.
The Indonesian Permanent Mission to the United Nations also offered to circulate the note to all members of the Continental Shelf Boundary Committee (CLCS), as well as all members of UNCLOS and the United Nations.
China unilaterally drew a "nine-dashed line" covering almost the entire South China Sea to claim sovereignty over "historical rights", despite the contradiction of UNCLOS rules and the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration.
Unlike many other countries in the region, Indonesia's claims in the South China Sea do not directly conflict with China.
Indonesia on May 26 sent a letter to the United Nations, saying that China's "nine-dash line" in the South China Sea lacks an international legal basis, citing the 2016 decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Hague.
The US earlier this month also sent a letter to Secretary-General Guterres, asserting that China's claim in the South China Sea is "inconsistent with international law".
