Russian experts talk legal path to peace, stability in East SeaLeading Russian experts and researchers on Asia-Pacific discussed how a legal path helps secure to peace and stability in the East Sea at a round-table workshop in Moscow on September 8. They agreed that the ruling issued by the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague, the Netherlands on July 12, confirms China’s sovereignty declaration in the East Sea has no legal foundation. The ruling provides extra legal power for countries in the East Sea to forge ahead with bilateral and multilateral negotiations, which, he said, are the only legal path to regional peace and stability. They agreed that any disputes in the East Sea are unbeneficial for Russia as both Vietnam and China are strategic partners of Russia. Ancient maps of Vietnam, France, China and other countries were screened during the workshop, which show China has no historical evidence supporting its sovereignty claims in the East Sea and reaffirm Hoang Sa (Paracel) and Truong Sa (Spratly) archipelagos belong to Vietnam.

Source: VietNamNet News September 09, 2016 03:45 UTC