Toronto (VNA) – The foreign ministers of the Group Seven (G7)-Cananda, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US expressed concern about the situation in the East andSouth China seas in the communiqué issued following their meeting inToronto early this week.

The communiqué read: “We reiterate our commitment to promoting cooperative,international maritime governance, to maintaining a rules-based maritime orderbased on international law, including as reflected in the UN Convention on theLaw of the Sea (UNCLOS), to building trust and ensuring security, and to thepeaceful management and settlement of disputes without using the threat offorce or coercion and in accordance with international law, including throughinternationally recognised legal dispute settlement mechanisms, includingarbitration.”

The ministers also reiterated their commitmentto the freedom of the high seas, including the freedom of navigation andoverflight, and to other rights, including the rights and jurisdiction ofcoastal states and internationally lawful uses of the seas.

“In this context, we stress the importance ofmaintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region based on the rule of law, andexpress our intention to work together with ASEAN and other countries in thisendeavour,” the communiquésaid.

Regarding the East China Sea and South China Sea (which is called the East Seain Vietnam), the ministers expressed their strong opposition to any unilateralactions that escalate tensions and undermine regional stability and theinternational rules-based order, such as the use of force, large-scale landreclamation and building of outposts, as well as the use of them for militarypurposes.

They urged all parties to comply with theirobligations under international law, and called for the full and effectiveimplementation of the commitments in the Declaration on the Conduct of Partiesin the East Sea (DOC) in their entirety. 

The G7 foreign ministers stressed the importance of ongoing negotiations for aneffective code of conduct and welcomed an agreement which does not derogatefrom the rights of parties enjoy under international law or affect the rightsof third parties.

“We also recognize that in order to securestability in the region, such diplomatic efforts should lead todemilitarization of disputed features and a peaceful and open South China Seain accordance with international law,” the communiqué said.

The ministers said they consider theJuly 12, 2016, award rendered by the Arbitral Tribunal under the UNCLOS asa useful basis for further efforts to peacefully resolve disputes in the EastSea.

They reiterated concern regarding thedestruction of marine ecosystems in the East Sea, which threatens theirsustainability and regional fish stocks, and reaffirm their commitment toincreasing international cooperation to enhance protection of the marineenvironment.-VNA