MANILA: Negotiations on the Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea have reached nearly 90% agreement, although several sensitive issues remain unresolved, says Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.
The Foreign Minister said Malaysia, as the Asean-China country coordinator, was responsible for ensuring that negotiations were concluded as soon as possible, particularly as the previously targeted three-year timeframe had ended this year.
"Most of the terms, paragraphs and other provisions in the COC document have been discussed and mutually agreed upon by the countries involved.
"However, several matters still require political decisions, as certain words or provisions are considered sensitive by some countries, although they may not be an issue for others," he told a press conference held in conjunction with the 49th Asean Summit here on Saturday (Nov 14).
Mohamad said further efforts were needed to bridge differences among the countries involved in the negotiations before the document could be finalised.
He expressed confidence that negotiations would continue, with efforts intensified to conclude the COC as soon as possible.
