"Sea lanes of communication passing through the South China Sea are critical for peace, stability, prosperity and development. NEW DELHI: India on Tuesday urged all parties involved in the South China Sea dispute to show utmost respect for the UN-backed tribunal's ruling.A UN-backed international tribunal on Tuesday struck down China's claims of "historical rights" in the strategic South China Sea, prompting Chinese President Xi Jinping to reject its ruling and asserting that Beijing will not accept the verdict "under any circumstances". "Pakistan opposes any imposition of unilateral will on others and respects China's statement of optional exception in light of Article 298 of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea," Zakaria said. ""The decision today by the Tribunal in the Philippines-China arbitration is an important contribution to the shared goal of a peaceful resolution to disputes in the South China Sea," State Department spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.Pakistan, however, backed its "all-weather" ally China and said Islamabad opposes any imposition of "unilateral will" on others.Pakistan maintains that disputes over the South China Sea (SCS) should be peacefully resolved through consultations and negotiations by states directly concerned in accordance with bilateral agreements and the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Nafees Zakaria said. "The award is null and void and has no binding force," it said in a statement minutes after the tribunal delivered its judgement striking down Beijing's claims of historic rights over the area, strongly disputed by the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.The US has also urged all parties to accept the tribunal's ruling saying it's "final and legally binding.

Source: Times of India July 12, 2016 16:05 UTC