An international conference on security and cooperation in the East Sea was held in Moscow, Russia on October 18.

The conference, the first of its kind held by the Institute ofOriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, drew theparticipation of representatives from Russian authorities andresearchers of issues on Asia-Pacific and East Sea security, as well asscholars from the EU, the US, Australia, India, Japan and Singapore.

Delegates analysed the East Sea issue from the angles of geo-politics,historical and legal bases of territorial disputes and threats toregional stability, and proposed solutions to the current conflicts.

Addressing the one-day event, Alexander Tokovinin, an official fromthe Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, called on concerned parties torefrain from the use of force and to resolve the issue bypolitical-diplomatic means on the basis of the 1982 UN Convention on theLaw of the Sea.

Russia, as an Asian-Europeancountry, is interested in maintaining peace and stability in the region,he said, adding that the country wants to join partners to set up areliable common security structure in Asia and is actively acceleratingthis process.

Vice Chairman of the State Duma ofthe Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation Nikolai Levichev voicedhis concern about the risk of an East Sea conflict in the a future,stressing that what the parties concerned need to do now is to preventtension from escalating.

He spoke highly of the roleof international and Russian experts at the conference who helpedclarify the security situation in the East Sea and seek solutions to theregional disputes and contradictions.

Meanwhile,Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies Vitaly Naumkin stated thatAsia security is a big issue that draws attention from theinternational community, including Russia.

Russiawishes that the concerned parties will work together to overcomechallenges in order to create an environment of peace, friendship andcooperation in the region, he said.

Participantsagreed that Vietnam has manifested its constructive stance ofconsistently supporting the settlement of disputes by peaceful means andpersistently calling on parties concerned to build a unified roadmap ofhigher legal value to solve the disputes such as the approval of a Codeof Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

Vietnam’s timelyrecommendation on eliminating the use of violence in dealing withconflicts and efforts to reach a peaceful and friendship environment andmutual trust, stated by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung at the 12 thShangri-la Dialogue in June, also received a high consensus fromparticipants.

International researchers stressedthat peace and stability can only be ensured on the basis of allconcerned parties’ efforts and goodwill, in which mutual trust,concession and commitment to restraint from the use of force in allcircumstances play an extremely important role.

Alldisputes in the East Sea must be settled through peaceful negotiationsin the spirit of equality, mutual understanding and trust, and based onrespect for international law, especially the 1982 UN Convention on theLaw of the Sea, as well as that for the sovereignty and jurisdiction ofcoastal countries over their exclusive economic zones and continentalshelves, participants added.

They stressed the needfor the parties concerned to end all activities that further complicatethe situation, refrain from the use of force or the threat to use force,maintain the status quo, and restore trust.

Delegates also suggested the parties consider and put forth a new agendato better suit their stance, reach the adoption of the COC in theimmediate future, and strictly implement the signed agreements.-VNA