UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres (Photo: Xinhua/VNA)New York (VNA) – Variouscountries have underscored the significance of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in shapinglegal order at seas during the commemoration of the 25th anniversary of the entry intoforce of UNCLOS, part of the 29th Meeting of the States Parties to theconvention that opened in New York on June 17.
Representativesof Latin American, African countries and G77 members as well as more than 30other countries called on all parties to strictly implement the contents of theconvention, settling disputes related to seas and oceans through peacefulmeasures, and ensuring navigation freedom in line with UNCLOS regulations.
Atthe same time, they highlighted the need for cooperation on the foundation ofspirit and rules of the convention, thus ensuring international legal order onseas and oceans, coping with challenges, and sustainably using seas, oceans andmaritime resources.
Addressingthe event, Secretaryof Foreign Affairs of the Philippines Teodoro L. Locsin Jr. said that recently and famously,on the basis of UNCLOS it filed a carefully crafted and successful complaint atThe Hague to clarify the legal situation in the South China Sea (East Sea) toremove the confusion or the pretext of confusion on the part of those violatingit.
Hethanked Vietnamese fishermen for rescuing 22 Filipino crewmen who met anincident at sea on June 9.
Inhis opening remark of the meeting, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterresstressed the significance of the UNCLOS 1982 in promoting and maintainingpeace, cooperation, security, stability and sustainable use of maritimeresources.
Hepointed to a number of challenges to seas and oceans, calling on countries to fullyand effectively implement the convention and related documents, and underliningthe need for the international community’s efforts to improve the quality ofsea and oceans through the strengthening of the realizing the SustainableDevelopment Goal, including the goal 14 on seas and oceans.-VNA
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