Asean urges pact but consensus elusive

Southeast Asian states yesterday sought to save face with a call for restraint and dialogue over the South China Sea, but made no progress in healing a deep divide about how to respond to China's growing assertiveness in the disputed waters.
After heated discussions at a summit last week that saw its customary communique aborted for the first time in its 45-year history, the Association of Southeast Asian nations (Asean) issued a six-point statement that omitted the contentious issues that had its 10 members locked in a bitter dispute for days.
Asean chair Cambodia, which was accused by several members of stonewalling in support of key ally China, on Friday blamed "two countries" for scuttling the communique by refusing to agree to the six points it had initially proposed.
His comments risk widening cracks that have appeared in a grouping that is becoming polarised by China's rapidly expanding influence. China wanted to keep the maritime dispute off the agenda, putting members dependent on it for loans and investment - Cambodia among them - in a tight squeeze.
The divisions follow a rise in incidents of naval brinkmanship involving Chinese vessels in the oil-rich waters that has sparked fears of a military clash.
China has territorial claims over a huge area covering waters that Vietnam and the Philippines say they also have sovereignty over. All three countries are eager to tap possibly huge offshore oil reserves.