The United States warned North Korea on Tuesday of &quot;real consequences&quot; if it continues nuclear and missile tests in defiance of UN sanctions, as the international community moves to rein it in. 
 
Pyongyang carried out its fourth nuclear test in January, followed by a series of ballistic missile launches that sent tensions soaring across East Asia and beyond. 
 
In response the UN Security Council slapped North Korea with its toughest sanctions to date in a unanimous decision even endorsed by China, its economic lifeline and diplomatic shield. 
 
But Pyongyang has continued to carry out missile launches, most recently last week, in a bid to prove that sanctions are ineffective in curbing its weapons development. 
 
&quot;Together we are determined... to make absolutely certain that DPRK (North Korea) understands that there are real consequences for these actions,&quot; US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of Asian nations in Laos. 
 
Analysts say this year&#39;s tests have shown the North making progress towards its goal of developing a credible strike threat against the US mainland, adding urgency to Washington&#39;s warnings.&nbsp; 
 
The issue has dominated this week&#39;s talks in Vientiane, a rare opportunity for the six parties involved in stalled talks on ending North Korea&#39;s nuclear programme to be in the same room. 
 
The North&#39;s new foreign minister and former nuclear negotiator Ri Yong-Ho was making his diplomatic debut at the meeting, hosted by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).&nbsp; 
 
Kerry, who has held a flurry of closed-door meetings with his regional counterparts over the last two days, said efforts to denuclearise the Korean peninsula had dominated discussions.&nbsp; 
 
&quot;(The) issue that came up in nearly every meeting I had so far this week is the provocative and deeply concerning behaviour of the DPRK,&quot; he told reporters. 
 
&quot;North Korea&#39;s actions present a very serious threat, not just to this region but to international peace and security.&quot;&nbsp; 
 
Later Tuesday afternoon six-party members, the US, China, Japan, Russia and both Koreas, were among those attending the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), a security meeting that groups most of Asia.The nuclear threat from the North was expected to feature strongly, with Beijing likely to press for a revival of the talks last held in 2008. 
 
But Washington, Seoul and Tokyo all insist Pyongyang must first make tangible steps towards denuclearisation. 
 
At a regional meeting preceding ARF which excluded the North&#39;s envoy, Japan&#39;s Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told ministers that Pyongyang&#39;s continuing missile and nuclear testing &quot;cannot be tolerated&quot;. 
 
In a briefing afterwards, foreign ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura said the grouping had &quot;made strong demands North Korea should refrain from any further provocative actions and comply with UN security resolutions&quot;. 
 
The North&#39;s relentless sabre-rattling has sent waves of uncertainty across Asia and beyond. 
 
Washington and Seoul agreed earlier this month to deploy a sophisticated anti-missile system in South Korea, a move which spooked China and Russia, who worry about having the advanced US-made system on their doorstep. 
 
North &nbsp;Korea says any further nuclear test depends on US 
 
North Korea&#39;s foreign minister said Tuesday that any decision to stage a further nuclear test would depend on the United States, as he held Washington responsible for scuppering denuclearisation efforts on the Korean peninsula. 
 
&quot;Whether we conduct additional nuclear tests is entirely up to the United States,&quot; Ri Yong-Ho told reporters on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Laos. 
 
The newly appointed Ri, who was making his overseas debut as the North&#39;s top diplomat, blamed the United States for the failure of the long-dormant six-party talks on Pyongyang&#39;s nuclear programme. 
 
&quot;The denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula went out of the window because of the United States,&quot; he said. 
 
Ri was previously the North&#39;s top negotiator to the six-party talks which brought together the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and China, and were last held in 2008. 
 
&quot;The key factor damaging the situation is the United States&#39; hostile policies... and the problem is getting worse,&quot; he said, citing significantly toughened UN and US economic sanctions imposed after the North&#39;s fourth nuclear test in January. 
 
&quot;And recently they committed the most grave hostility by insulting our Dear Leader,&quot; Ri said, referring to the US decision to personally blacklist Kim Jong-Un over human rights abuses. 
 
Despite the latest sanctions, North Korea has continued to carry out ballistic missile tests in violation of UN sanctions, and has made it clear that it intends to continue nuclear testing. 
 
Ri insisted that the North was a &quot;responsible nuclear state&quot; which would only strike if threatened, and he called on the United States to withdraw its troops from South Korea immediately. 
 
(AFP) 
 
&nbsp;

North Korea's relentless sabre-rattling has sent waves of uncertainty across Asia and beyond

The United States warned North Korea on Tuesday of "real consequences" if it continues nuclear and missile tests in defiance of UN sanctions, as the international community moves to rein it in. Pyongyang carried out its fourth nuclear test in January, followed by a series of ballistic missile launches that sent tensions soaring across East Asia and beyond. In response the UN Security Council slapped North Korea with its toughest sanctions to date in a unanimous decision even endorsed by China, its economic lifeline and diplomatic shield. But Pyongyang has continued to carry out missile launches, most recently last week, in a bid to prove that sanctions are ineffective in curbing its weapons development. "Together we are determined... to make absolutely certain that DPRK (North Korea) understands that there are real consequences for these actions," US Secretary of State John Kerry told reporters on the sidelines of a meeting of Asian nations in Laos. Analysts say this year's tests have shown the North making progress towards its goal of developing a credible strike threat against the US mainland, adding urgency to Washington's warnings. The issue has dominated this week's talks in Vientiane, a rare opportunity for the six parties involved in stalled talks on ending North Korea's nuclear programme to be in the same room. The North's new foreign minister and former nuclear negotiator Ri Yong-Ho was making his diplomatic debut at the meeting, hosted by the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Kerry, who has held a flurry of closed-door meetings with his regional counterparts over the last two days, said efforts to denuclearise the Korean peninsula had dominated discussions. "(The) issue that came up in nearly every meeting I had so far this week is the provocative and deeply concerning behaviour of the DPRK," he told reporters. "North Korea's actions present a very serious threat, not just to this region but to international peace and security." Later Tuesday afternoon six-party members, the US, China, Japan, Russia and both Koreas, were among those attending the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), a security meeting that groups most of Asia.The nuclear threat from the North was expected to feature strongly, with Beijing likely to press for a revival of the talks last held in 2008. But Washington, Seoul and Tokyo all insist Pyongyang must first make tangible steps towards denuclearisation. At a regional meeting preceding ARF which excluded the North's envoy, Japan's Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida told ministers that Pyongyang's continuing missile and nuclear testing "cannot be tolerated". In a briefing afterwards, foreign ministry spokesman Yasuhisa Kawamura said the grouping had "made strong demands North Korea should refrain from any further provocative actions and comply with UN security resolutions". The North's relentless sabre-rattling has sent waves of uncertainty across Asia and beyond. Washington and Seoul agreed earlier this month to deploy a sophisticated anti-missile system in South Korea, a move which spooked China and Russia, who worry about having the advanced US-made system on their doorstep. North Korea says any further nuclear test depends on US North Korea's foreign minister said Tuesday that any decision to stage a further nuclear test would depend on the United States, as he held Washington responsible for scuppering denuclearisation efforts on the Korean peninsula. "Whether we conduct additional nuclear tests is entirely up to the United States," Ri Yong-Ho told reporters on the sidelines of an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Laos. The newly appointed Ri, who was making his overseas debut as the North's top diplomat, blamed the United States for the failure of the long-dormant six-party talks on Pyongyang's nuclear programme. "The denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula went out of the window because of the United States," he said. Ri was previously the North's top negotiator to the six-party talks which brought together the two Koreas, the United States, Japan, Russia and China, and were last held in 2008. "The key factor damaging the situation is the United States' hostile policies... and the problem is getting worse," he said, citing significantly toughened UN and US economic sanctions imposed after the North's fourth nuclear test in January. "And recently they committed the most grave hostility by insulting our Dear Leader," Ri said, referring to the US decision to personally blacklist Kim Jong-Un over human rights abuses. Despite the latest sanctions, North Korea has continued to carry out ballistic missile tests in violation of UN sanctions, and has made it clear that it intends to continue nuclear testing. Ri insisted that the North was a "responsible nuclear state" which would only strike if threatened, and he called on the United States to withdraw its troops from South Korea immediately. (AFP)

US warns North Korea of consequences if it continues nuclear tests

Southeast Asian nations overcame days of deadlock today when the Philippines dropped a request for their joint statement to mention a landmark legal ruling on the South China Sea, officials said, after objections from Cambodia. 
 
Beijing publicly thanked Cambodia for supporting its stance on maritime disputes, a position which threw the regional bloc&#39;s weekend meeting in the Laos capital of Vientiane into disarray. 
 
Competing claims with China in the vita shipping are among the most contentious issues for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with its 10 members pulled between their desire to assert their sovereignty while finding common ground and fostering political and commercial ties with Beijing. 
 
Communique insists on peaceful resolutions&nbsp; 
 
China claims most of the sea, but ASEAN members -- the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei -- all have rival claims. In a ruling by the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration on July 12, the Philippines won an emphatic legal victory over China on the dispute. 
 
The Philippines and Vietnam both wanted the ruling, which denied China&#39;s sweeping claims in the strategic seaway that channels more than $ 5 trillion in global trade each year, and a call to respect international maritime law to feature in the communique. 
 
Calling for bilateral discussions, Cambodia opposed the wording on the ruling, diplomats said. 
 
Manila agreed to drop the reference to the ruling in the communique, one ASEAN diplomat said today, in an effort to prevent the disagreement leading to the group failing to issue a statement. 
 
The communique referred instead to the need to find peaceful resolutions to disputes in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, including the United Nations&#39; law of the sea, to which the court ruling referred. 
 
&quot;We remain seriously concerned about recent and ongoing developments and took note of the concerns expressed by some ministers on the land reclamations and escalation of activities in the area, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region,&quot; the ASEAN communique said. 
 
It was important to avoid militarisation of the region, and for freedom of navigation to be maintained, ASEAN said. 
 
Beijing says the court ruling has no bearing on its rights in the sea, and described the case as a farce. 
 
Cambodia&#39;s position was the right one and would safeguard unity of ASEAN and cooperation with China, China&#39;s Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Cambodia&#39;s Foreign Minister Prak Sokhon, according to a statement posted on China&#39;s Foreign Ministry website early today. 
 
&quot;China greatly approves of Cambodia and other ASEAN countries taking charge of impartiality and safeguarding fairness,&quot; Wang said. 
 
China frequently blames the United States for raising tensions in the region and has warned regional rival Japan to steer clear of the dispute. 
 
&quot;We will not permit any outside force to seek to exploit and hype up the so-called South China Sea arbitration case and bring chaos to this region,&quot; Wang said. 
 
Major powers arrive 
 
The United States, allied with the Philippines and cultivating closer relations with Vietnam, has called on China to respect the court&#39;s ruling. 
 
It has criticised China&#39;s building of artificial islands and facilities in the sea and has sailed warships close to the disputed territory to assert freedom of navigation rights. 
 
US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Laos capital today. 
 
He is expected to discuss maritime issues in a meeting with Wang, as well as in meetings with ASEAN members. 
 
Both are in town for the ASEAN regional forum and East Asia summits, which bring ASEAN diplomats together with the US, China, Japan, Russia and several other countries. 
 
Kerry will urge ASEAN nations to explore diplomatic ways to ease tension over Asia&#39;s biggest potential military flashpoint, a senior US official said ahead of his trip. 
 
Barack Obama is set to become the first US president to visit Laos, attending an annual summit in September. 
 
Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is also in Laos, making her debut at ASEAN meetings as the foreign minister for Myanmar. 
 
(Reuters)

Philippines agreed to drop the reference to ruling in communique,to prevent disagreement leading to the group failing to issue a statement

Southeast Asian nations overcame days of deadlock today when the Philippines dropped a request for their joint statement to mention a landmark legal ruling on the South China Sea, officials said, after objections from Cambodia. Beijing publicly thanked Cambodia for supporting its stance on maritime disputes, a position which threw the regional bloc's weekend meeting in the Laos capital of Vientiane into disarray. Competing claims with China in the vita shipping are among the most contentious issues for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), with its 10 members pulled between their desire to assert their sovereignty while finding common ground and fostering political and commercial ties with Beijing. Communique insists on peaceful resolutions China claims most of the sea, but ASEAN members -- the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei -- all have rival claims. In a ruling by the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration on July 12, the Philippines won an emphatic legal victory over China on the dispute. The Philippines and Vietnam both wanted the ruling, which denied China's sweeping claims in the strategic seaway that channels more than $ 5 trillion in global trade each year, and a call to respect international maritime law to feature in the communique. Calling for bilateral discussions, Cambodia opposed the wording on the ruling, diplomats said. Manila agreed to drop the reference to the ruling in the communique, one ASEAN diplomat said today, in an effort to prevent the disagreement leading to the group failing to issue a statement. The communique referred instead to the need to find peaceful resolutions to disputes in the South China Sea in accordance with international law, including the United Nations' law of the sea, to which the court ruling referred. "We remain seriously concerned about recent and ongoing developments and took note of the concerns expressed by some ministers on the land reclamations and escalation of activities in the area, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and may undermine peace, security and stability in the region," the ASEAN communique said. It was important to avoid militarisation of the region, and for freedom of navigation to be maintained, ASEAN said. Beijing says the court ruling has no bearing on its rights in the sea, and described the case as a farce. Cambodia's position was the right one and would safeguard unity of ASEAN and cooperation with China, China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi told Cambodia's Foreign Minister Prak Sokhon, according to a statement posted on China's Foreign Ministry website early today. "China greatly approves of Cambodia and other ASEAN countries taking charge of impartiality and safeguarding fairness," Wang said. China frequently blames the United States for raising tensions in the region and has warned regional rival Japan to steer clear of the dispute. "We will not permit any outside force to seek to exploit and hype up the so-called South China Sea arbitration case and bring chaos to this region," Wang said. Major powers arrive The United States, allied with the Philippines and cultivating closer relations with Vietnam, has called on China to respect the court's ruling. It has criticised China's building of artificial islands and facilities in the sea and has sailed warships close to the disputed territory to assert freedom of navigation rights. US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Laos capital today. He is expected to discuss maritime issues in a meeting with Wang, as well as in meetings with ASEAN members. Both are in town for the ASEAN regional forum and East Asia summits, which bring ASEAN diplomats together with the US, China, Japan, Russia and several other countries. Kerry will urge ASEAN nations to explore diplomatic ways to ease tension over Asia's biggest potential military flashpoint, a senior US official said ahead of his trip. Barack Obama is set to become the first US president to visit Laos, attending an annual summit in September. Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi is also in Laos, making her debut at ASEAN meetings as the foreign minister for Myanmar. (Reuters)

ASEAN breaks deadlock on South China Sea, Beijing thanks Cambodia for support

Vietnam has warned that the inability of Southeast Asian nations to forge a unified front against Beijing&#39;s militarisation of the South China Sea is a &quot;test&quot; of the regional bloc in the face of its greatest security challenge. 
 
The unusually strong comments from a key claimant to the contested waters, comes as diplomats meet in Laos for the first summit since a UN-backed tribunal debunked Beijing&#39;s legal claim to vast stretches of the strategically vital sea. 
 
After talks stuttered on Sunday, Vietnam&#39;s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a late night statement warning that the South China Sea had become &quot;a test case for the unity and the central role of ASEAN&quot;. 
 
&quot;Many ministers stressed that in this context, ASEAN should promote solidarity, unity and a central role,&quot; the statement added. 
 
Diplomats met for a new round of crunch talks, called for by Laos today morning.&nbsp;As they came to a close, Indonesia&#39;s foreign minister, Retno Marsudi, expressed optimism that a statement would be agreed to, though diplomats previously told AFP it would likely be &quot;watered down&quot;. 
 
Staunch Beijing ally Cambodia has been accused of scuppering efforts by the bloc to issue a joint statement calling on Beijing to adhere to the UN tribunal&#39;s decision.&nbsp;Four ASEAN members - Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei have competing claims with Beijing over parts of the South China Sea.&nbsp; 
 
Most members of the bloc want to keep pressure on China over its campaign of island building in the strategic waters.&nbsp;But ASEAN operates on a tradition of consensus diplomacy, meaning a single nation can have an effective veto power if it disagrees with the others. 
 
China has been accused of teasing poorer members like Laos and Cambodia into fracturing regional unity with promises of aid and trade.&nbsp;Critics have long derided ASEAN for lacking real diplomatic clout. 
 
A failure to respond to the tribunal ruling or the region&#39;s key security issue will do little to counter those claims.&nbsp;The ongoing impasse in Vientiane has led to fears of a repeat of a 2012 summit in Cambodia, where the bloc failed to issue a joint communique for the first time in its history because of disagreements over the South China Sea. 
 
Chinese pressure was blamed last month for a startling show of discord by the bloc, when countries swiftly disowned a joint statement released by Malaysia after an ASEAN-China meeting.&nbsp;That statement had expressed alarm over Beijing&#39;s activities in the South China Sea. Cambodia and Laos were later fingered as being behind moves to block the joint statement. 
 
(AFP)

Four ASEAN members - Vietnam, Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei have competing claims with Beijing over parts of the South China Sea

Vietnam has warned that the inability of Southeast Asian nations to forge a unified front against Beijing's militarisation of the South China Sea is a "test" of the regional bloc in the face of its greatest security challenge. The unusually strong comments from a key claimant to the contested waters, comes as diplomats meet in Laos for the first summit since a UN-backed tribunal debunked Beijing's legal claim to vast stretches of the strategically vital sea. After talks stuttered on Sunday, Vietnam's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a late night statement warning that the South China Sea had become "a test case for the unity and the central role of ASEAN". "Many ministers stressed that in this context, ASEAN should promote solidarity, unity and a central role," the statement added. Diplomats met for a new round of crunch talks, called for by Laos today morning. As they came to a close, Indonesia's foreign minister, Retno Marsudi, expressed optimism that a statement would be agreed to, though diplomats previously told AFP it would likely be "watered down". Staunch Beijing ally Cambodia has been accused of scuppering efforts by the bloc to issue a joint statement calling on Beijing to adhere to the UN tribunal's decision. Four ASEAN members - Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei have competing claims with Beijing over parts of the South China Sea. Most members of the bloc want to keep pressure on China over its campaign of island building in the strategic waters. But ASEAN operates on a tradition of consensus diplomacy, meaning a single nation can have an effective veto power if it disagrees with the others. China has been accused of teasing poorer members like Laos and Cambodia into fracturing regional unity with promises of aid and trade. Critics have long derided ASEAN for lacking real diplomatic clout. A failure to respond to the tribunal ruling or the region's key security issue will do little to counter those claims. The ongoing impasse in Vientiane has led to fears of a repeat of a 2012 summit in Cambodia, where the bloc failed to issue a joint communique for the first time in its history because of disagreements over the South China Sea. Chinese pressure was blamed last month for a startling show of discord by the bloc, when countries swiftly disowned a joint statement released by Malaysia after an ASEAN-China meeting. That statement had expressed alarm over Beijing's activities in the South China Sea. Cambodia and Laos were later fingered as being behind moves to block the joint statement. (AFP)

Vietnam warns South China Sea is a 'test' of ASEAN

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met with Burmese State Counselor and foreign minister Aung San Suu Kyi on the sidelines of the ongoing 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM) and Post-Ministerial Conferences (PMC) in Vientiane, Laos on Sunday, both promising to strengthen ties and cooperation. 
 
Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping&rsquo;s greetings to Suu Kyi. 
 
He said that China and Myanmar have a deep friendship and maintain understanding, respect, and support for one another. 
 
Wang congratulated Suu Kyi&rsquo;s new government for keeping an upbeat situation in its first 100 days and wished Myanmar further progress in its development. 
 
Wang expressed China&rsquo;s goodwill to become a trusted partner of Myanmar in its development progress, saying that China is willing to increase high-level communication and push forward practical cooperation in all fields. 
 
Suu Kyi said that China is Myanmar&rsquo;s largest friendly neighbour, and the people from two countries share strong links with each other, adding that Myanmar appreciates China&rsquo;s support and aid in its economic development as well as national reconciliation. 
 
Suu Kyi said she hopes China will continue to give Myanmar support as a good friend of the country. Myanmar is willing to work with China to continue to strengthen their relationship and pass down the traditional friendship between the two nations to later generations, she added. 
 
&#39;Media focus on South China Sea very strange&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Wang during bilateral meetings with ASEAN members on Sunday said he thought the media focus on the South China Sea issue was &quot;very strange&quot;. 
 
&quot;You should focus on China-ASEAN cooperation,&quot; he said. 
 
Southeast Asian nations failed to agree on maritime disputes in the South China Sea on Sunday after Cambodia blocked any mention to an international court ruling against Beijing in their statement, diplomats said. 
 
Foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met for the first time since the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration handed an emphatic legal victory to the Philippines in the dispute this month. 
 
The ruling by the court in The Hague denied China&#39;s sweeping claims in the strategic seaway, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes each year. 
 
China claims most of the sea, but ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have rival claims. Beijing says the ruling has no bearing on its rights in the sea, and described the case as a farce. 
 
(Reuters)

Foreign ministers of 10-member ASEAN met for first time since the Hague ruling on maritime disputes in the South China Sea

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met with Burmese State Counselor and foreign minister Aung San Suu Kyi on the sidelines of the ongoing 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM) and Post-Ministerial Conferences (PMC) in Vientiane, Laos on Sunday, both promising to strengthen ties and cooperation. Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s greetings to Suu Kyi. He said that China and Myanmar have a deep friendship and maintain understanding, respect, and support for one another. Wang congratulated Suu Kyi’s new government for keeping an upbeat situation in its first 100 days and wished Myanmar further progress in its development. Wang expressed China’s goodwill to become a trusted partner of Myanmar in its development progress, saying that China is willing to increase high-level communication and push forward practical cooperation in all fields. Suu Kyi said that China is Myanmar’s largest friendly neighbour, and the people from two countries share strong links with each other, adding that Myanmar appreciates China’s support and aid in its economic development as well as national reconciliation. Suu Kyi said she hopes China will continue to give Myanmar support as a good friend of the country. Myanmar is willing to work with China to continue to strengthen their relationship and pass down the traditional friendship between the two nations to later generations, she added. 'Media focus on South China Sea very strange' Wang during bilateral meetings with ASEAN members on Sunday said he thought the media focus on the South China Sea issue was "very strange". "You should focus on China-ASEAN cooperation," he said. Southeast Asian nations failed to agree on maritime disputes in the South China Sea on Sunday after Cambodia blocked any mention to an international court ruling against Beijing in their statement, diplomats said. Foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met for the first time since the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration handed an emphatic legal victory to the Philippines in the dispute this month. The ruling by the court in The Hague denied China's sweeping claims in the strategic seaway, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes each year. China claims most of the sea, but ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have rival claims. Beijing says the ruling has no bearing on its rights in the sea, and described the case as a farce. (Reuters)

China promises to strengthen ties with Myanmar

Southeast Asian nations were deadlocked today over how to confront sabre-rattling in the South China Sea as pressure from Beijing again drove a wedge between countries on the region&#39;s most contentious security issue. 
 
The gathering in Vientiane is the first time regional players -- including China and the United States -- have met en masse since a UN-backed tribunal delivered a hammer blow to Beijing&#39;s claim to vast swathes of the strategic sea. 
 
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) boasts four countries who have competing claims with Beijing over parts of the strategic sea and is fiercely divided on the issue. 
 
Rival claimants have accused China of deftly forging alliances with smaller countries like Laos, this year&#39;s host, and Cambodia through aid and loans to divide the the once consensus-driven bloc. 
 
Chinese pressure was blamed last month for a startling show of ASEAN discord when countries swiftly disowned a joint statement released by Malaysia after an ASEAN-China meeting. 
 
That statement had expressed alarm over Beijing&#39;s activities in the South China Sea. Cambodia and Laos were later fingered as being behind moves to block the joint statement. 
 
&#39;Back to negotiation table&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Those divisions were on stark display once more in the Laos capital with insiders accusing Cambodia of scuppering moves to include a response to the tribunal ruling in a joint communique, expected at the end of today&#39;s meeting. 
 
&quot;We need to put our house in order,&quot; one diplomat involved in discussions told AFP today. &quot;But we still have not agreed on anything.&quot; 
 
Another ASEAN diplomat added: &quot;We remain deadlocked. We&#39;re back to the negotiating table.&quot; 
 
A working draft of the current joint communique obtained by AFP on Saturday showed the section titled &quot;South China Sea&quot; as blank. 
 
The impasse in Vientiane has led to fears of a repeat of a 2012 summit in Cambodia where the bloc failed to issue a joint statement for the first time in its history because of disagreements over the South China Sea. A failure by ASEAN to respond to the tribunal will do little to counter criticism that the bloc risks veering into obscurity as a talking shop with little real diplomatic clout. 
 
The UN tribunal ruling earlier this month infuriated Beijing but was a victory for the Philippines, which brought the case, and fellow ASEAN members Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia who also claim parts of the South China Sea. 
 
The bloc&#39;s paralysis on how to respond comes as China ratchets up its rhetoric and military manoeuvres in the sea whilst hitting out at the US which has backed rival claimants and argued for free passage through what it considers international waters. 
 
US likely to push ASEAN to ease tensions&nbsp; 
 
US Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in Laos tommorow&nbsp;morning. It is not yet clear whether he will meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi who is also attending. 
 
A State Department official over the weekend said the US would push for ASEAN to ease tensions over the South China Sea and find common ground. 
 
But Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin warned ASEAN against being influence by outside powers, a clear rebuke to Washington. 
 
&quot;They (ASEAN) should in particular guard against the intervention in regional cooperation by big powers outside the region,&quot; he said according to the Xinhua news agency. 
 
ASEAN boasts a diverse array of countries ranging from communist one party states like Laos, to the Islamic sultanate of Brunei, military junta-led Thailand and raucous democracies like Indonesia and the Philippines. 
 
Its ability to deal with Beijing is seen as a litmus test for whether it can jointly confront other pressing regional challenges outside of trade. 
 
At the summit opening Laos foreign minister Saleumxay Kommasith listed the hurdles facing the bloc as &quot;territorial disputes, extremism and terrorism, natural disasters, climate change... refugee issues&quot;. 
 
(AFP)&nbsp;

10-member ASEAN boasts four countries who have competing claims with Beijing over parts of the strategic sea

Southeast Asian nations were deadlocked today over how to confront sabre-rattling in the South China Sea as pressure from Beijing again drove a wedge between countries on the region's most contentious security issue. The gathering in Vientiane is the first time regional players -- including China and the United States -- have met en masse since a UN-backed tribunal delivered a hammer blow to Beijing's claim to vast swathes of the strategic sea. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) boasts four countries who have competing claims with Beijing over parts of the strategic sea and is fiercely divided on the issue. Rival claimants have accused China of deftly forging alliances with smaller countries like Laos, this year's host, and Cambodia through aid and loans to divide the the once consensus-driven bloc. Chinese pressure was blamed last month for a startling show of ASEAN discord when countries swiftly disowned a joint statement released by Malaysia after an ASEAN-China meeting. That statement had expressed alarm over Beijing's activities in the South China Sea. Cambodia and Laos were later fingered as being behind moves to block the joint statement. 'Back to negotiation table' Those divisions were on stark display once more in the Laos capital with insiders accusing Cambodia of scuppering moves to include a response to the tribunal ruling in a joint communique, expected at the end of today's meeting. "We need to put our house in order," one diplomat involved in discussions told AFP today. "But we still have not agreed on anything." Another ASEAN diplomat added: "We remain deadlocked. We're back to the negotiating table." A working draft of the current joint communique obtained by AFP on Saturday showed the section titled "South China Sea" as blank. The impasse in Vientiane has led to fears of a repeat of a 2012 summit in Cambodia where the bloc failed to issue a joint statement for the first time in its history because of disagreements over the South China Sea. A failure by ASEAN to respond to the tribunal will do little to counter criticism that the bloc risks veering into obscurity as a talking shop with little real diplomatic clout. The UN tribunal ruling earlier this month infuriated Beijing but was a victory for the Philippines, which brought the case, and fellow ASEAN members Vietnam, Brunei and Malaysia who also claim parts of the South China Sea. The bloc's paralysis on how to respond comes as China ratchets up its rhetoric and military manoeuvres in the sea whilst hitting out at the US which has backed rival claimants and argued for free passage through what it considers international waters. US likely to push ASEAN to ease tensions US Secretary of State John Kerry arrives in Laos tommorow morning. It is not yet clear whether he will meet his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi who is also attending. A State Department official over the weekend said the US would push for ASEAN to ease tensions over the South China Sea and find common ground. But Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Liu Zhenmin warned ASEAN against being influence by outside powers, a clear rebuke to Washington. "They (ASEAN) should in particular guard against the intervention in regional cooperation by big powers outside the region," he said according to the Xinhua news agency. ASEAN boasts a diverse array of countries ranging from communist one party states like Laos, to the Islamic sultanate of Brunei, military junta-led Thailand and raucous democracies like Indonesia and the Philippines. Its ability to deal with Beijing is seen as a litmus test for whether it can jointly confront other pressing regional challenges outside of trade. At the summit opening Laos foreign minister Saleumxay Kommasith listed the hurdles facing the bloc as "territorial disputes, extremism and terrorism, natural disasters, climate change... refugee issues". (AFP)

South China sea split deepens at ASEAN summit

Southeast Asian countries withdrew a statement that expressed the region&#39;s deep concerns over rising tensions in the disputed South China Sea, where China has been involved in territorial disputes. 
 
The strongly-worded statement by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), released by the Malaysian foreign ministry, did not name China directly but warned against raising tensions in the contested waters, where Beijing has been building artificial islands and increasing its military presence. 
 
&quot;We expressed our serious concerns over recent and ongoing developments, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and which may have the potential to undermine peace, security and stability in the South China Sea,&quot; said the statement, which was issued following a meeting in the Chinese city of Kunming between ASEAN and China&#39;s foreign ministers. 
 
But just hours later, a Malaysian ministry spokeswoman recalled the statement, saying &quot;urgent amendments&quot; needed to be made and an updated version would be distributed. 
 
However, no updated joint statement was later issued and the spokeswoman said countries would now issue individual statements. 
 
China lays historical claim to most of the South China Sea, with its Nine Dash line stretching deep into the maritime heart of Southeast Asia, covering hundreds disputed islands and reefs, rich fishing grounds and oil and gas deposits. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims over the region, through which trillions of dollars in ship-borne trade passes every year. 
 
Ian Storey, an analyst at Singapore&#39;s Institute of Southeast Asian studies (ISEAS), said the retraction of the initial statement showed the lack of unity between ASEAN members on the South China Sea disputes. 
 
&quot;The initial statement repeated ASEAN&rsquo;s existing concerns over China&rsquo;s artificial island building and the militarization of the dispute, but also countered China&rsquo;s position that the dispute should be settled by the parties directly concerned and that it is not an issue between ASEAN and China.&quot; 
 
&quot;Perhaps this proved too much for some of the member states and the statement was withdrawn,&quot; Storey said. 
 
The ASEAN-China meeting was held ahead of a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on a case brought by the Philippines contesting Beijing&#39;s claims in the South China Sea. 
 
China has refused to recognise the case and says all disputes should be resolved through bilateral talks. The case has become the centre of an international diplomatic arm wrestle, with the United States and its allies insisting on international law be obeyed and China saying it has widespread support for its position, including from some ASEAN members. 
 
Vietnam&#39;s ministry of foreign affairs, in a statement on the Kunming meeting, made no reference to the earlier ASEAN statement but echoed its concerns over increased military build-up in the South China Sea, &quot;especially the large-scale accretion and embellishment and construction of the reefs, the militarization of the artificial islands and actions of sovereignty claims that are not based on international law.&rdquo; 
 
Singapore and Indonesia, meanwhile, took a softer tone calling on ASEAN and China to &quot;continue working together to maintain the peace and stability of the South China Sea.&quot; 
 
An Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman said the initial statement was a &quot;media guideline&quot; which had been prepared for a planned press conference for the conclusion of the meeting. 
 
&quot;However because of the meeting dynamics where the meeting extended a few hours past schedule, the press conference was cancelled and a number of ASEAN FM had to leave immediately,&quot; Armanatha Nasir said.&nbsp;

Association of Southeast Asian Nations did not name China but raised concern at Beijing's growing military presence in the South China Sea

Southeast Asian countries withdrew a statement that expressed the region's deep concerns over rising tensions in the disputed South China Sea, where China has been involved in territorial disputes. The strongly-worded statement by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), released by the Malaysian foreign ministry, did not name China directly but warned against raising tensions in the contested waters, where Beijing has been building artificial islands and increasing its military presence. "We expressed our serious concerns over recent and ongoing developments, which have eroded trust and confidence, increased tensions and which may have the potential to undermine peace, security and stability in the South China Sea," said the statement, which was issued following a meeting in the Chinese city of Kunming between ASEAN and China's foreign ministers. But just hours later, a Malaysian ministry spokeswoman recalled the statement, saying "urgent amendments" needed to be made and an updated version would be distributed. However, no updated joint statement was later issued and the spokeswoman said countries would now issue individual statements. China lays historical claim to most of the South China Sea, with its Nine Dash line stretching deep into the maritime heart of Southeast Asia, covering hundreds disputed islands and reefs, rich fishing grounds and oil and gas deposits. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims over the region, through which trillions of dollars in ship-borne trade passes every year. Ian Storey, an analyst at Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian studies (ISEAS), said the retraction of the initial statement showed the lack of unity between ASEAN members on the South China Sea disputes. "The initial statement repeated ASEAN’s existing concerns over China’s artificial island building and the militarization of the dispute, but also countered China’s position that the dispute should be settled by the parties directly concerned and that it is not an issue between ASEAN and China." "Perhaps this proved too much for some of the member states and the statement was withdrawn," Storey said. The ASEAN-China meeting was held ahead of a ruling by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague on a case brought by the Philippines contesting Beijing's claims in the South China Sea. China has refused to recognise the case and says all disputes should be resolved through bilateral talks. The case has become the centre of an international diplomatic arm wrestle, with the United States and its allies insisting on international law be obeyed and China saying it has widespread support for its position, including from some ASEAN members. Vietnam's ministry of foreign affairs, in a statement on the Kunming meeting, made no reference to the earlier ASEAN statement but echoed its concerns over increased military build-up in the South China Sea, "especially the large-scale accretion and embellishment and construction of the reefs, the militarization of the artificial islands and actions of sovereignty claims that are not based on international law.” Singapore and Indonesia, meanwhile, took a softer tone calling on ASEAN and China to "continue working together to maintain the peace and stability of the South China Sea." An Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman said the initial statement was a "media guideline" which had been prepared for a planned press conference for the conclusion of the meeting. "However because of the meeting dynamics where the meeting extended a few hours past schedule, the press conference was cancelled and a number of ASEAN FM had to leave immediately," Armanatha Nasir said.

ASEAN countries walk back on statement on South China Sea

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