东盟峰会将再推南海行为准则

Asian leaders will make a renewed attempt to hammer out a solution to the bitter South China Sea dispute when they meet in Cambodia this week, using the re-signing of a broad document on conflict resolution to prod China toward agreeing to a code of conduct for the territorial flash point.

亚洲领导人本周在柬埔寨开会时，将再次尝试达成一套解决南中国海(South China Sea, 中国称南海)争端的方案。他们将通过重新签署一份有关解决冲突的概括性文件，敦促中国接受一套有关这个领土争端热点区域的行为准则。

Leaders from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations will sign a commemorative version of a document called the 'Declaration of Conduct,' which was first agreed in 2002 and sets out broad principles on conflict resolution.

东南亚国家联盟(Association of Southeast Asian Nations，简称东盟)10个成员国的领导人将签署《南中国海各方行为宣言》(Declaration of Conduct)的纪念版。这份文件最初是在2002年达成的，为冲突的解决设定了一套宽泛的准则。

That framework is a precursor to a potential narrower code of conduct for the South China Sea, which countries like the Philippines want implemented but China has in the past been hesitant to support. China's leadership will meet Asean counterparts on Monday. Premier Wen Jiabao is in Cambodia, along with Commerce Minister Chen Deming.

以这一框架为基础，各国有可能达成一套更具体的南中国海行为准则。菲律宾等国家希望实施这样一套准则，但中国在过去一直不愿意支持。中国领导人将在周一会晤东盟国家领导人。国务院总理温家宝和商务部部长陈德铭都已抵达柬埔寨。

'Hopefully out of this conference there will be a renewed fresh momentum,' Indonesia Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said in an interview. 'We are in a holding station. Not regressing but nor are we at the same time making huge strides. Given the domestic political situation in China and other factors, being where we are is not necessarily negative.'

印度尼西亚外交部长纳塔莱加瓦(Marty Natalegawa)接受采访说，希望这次大会开完后能形成一股全新的势头；眼下我们处于一种静止状态，既没有倒退，也没有取得巨大进展；考虑到中国国内政治形势及其他因素，像现在这个样子也不一定不好。

The South China Sea area, which is crossed by more than half the world's total trade and is thought to contain vast energy and mineral reserves, is broadly claimed by China and in part by such nations as Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam. The dispute comes amid unease among some Asian countries at China's efforts to increase its influence in the region─at a time the U.S. is seeking to do the same.

全球超过一半的贸易量都经过南中国海运输，据信这一地区含有丰富的能源和矿产。中国声称整个南中国海的主权归自己所有，马来西亚、菲律宾和越南等国也都声称其部分海域归自己所有。在南中国海争端发生之时，中国正力图扩大地区影响，此举引起部分亚洲国家的担忧。与此同时美国也在谋求扩大在亚洲的影响力。

Beijing has previously opposed efforts to settle disagreements at multilateral forums, saying it prefers to handle them on a bilateral basis. A meeting of Asean foreign ministers in July broke up without issuing a communiqué for the first time in the bloc's history─an outcome analysts blamed on host Cambodia's weakness in the face of pressure from China.

北京之前曾反对在多边论坛上解决分歧，称更愿意通过双边方式加以解决。今年7月的东盟外长会议在东盟历史上首次未能发布公报，分析人士将此归因于会议主办国柬埔寨屈从于中国的压力。

Qin Gang, director general of the information department of China's ministry of foreign affairs, signaled Beijing's openness to move toward a framework for handling disputes in the South China Sea, but demurred on whether that would be via a code of conduct.

中国外交部资讯司司长秦刚在一场吹风会上暗示，北京对于达成一个化解南中国海争端的框架持开放态度。但他没有肯定地说是否要通过一套行为准则来解决争端。

'We hope all parties can firstly observe the DOC round and then we can explore ways to further implement the DOC, by COC or other means. But it needs a serious, good discussion,' he said at a briefing.

秦刚在吹风会上说，希望各方首先观察《宣言》这一轮，然后我们可以探寻通过行为准则或其他方式进一步实施《宣言》的办法，但这需要认真、良好的讨论。

One official involved in the talks said the commemorative declaration was viewed as a 'confidence building measure' designed to ease China's suspicions. 'The priority is to ensure there is a good atmosphere' to start talking about a code,' the official said.

一位参与讨论的官员说，纪念版宣言被认为是一种增进信心的手段，目的是为了缓和中方的疑虑。这名官员说，当务之急是要确保有一个良好的氛围来开启有关行为准则的谈判。

One idea from Indonesia: Mr. Natalegawa, who has already suggested that a telephone hotline be established in the event of any incident on the South China Sea, says countries could flag intended activities in the waters, without needing to seek permission for such activities. 'Countries can inform one another 'this is what we are doing next week or the week after,' ' he said. Indonesia has been strengthening its leadership role in Asean and wants to use the bloc to showcase its success in creating a booming economy and stable democracy.

印尼提出了一个想法。纳塔莱加瓦说，各国可以预先通知其他国家自己计划在这一海域开展的活动，但不必征得其他国家的同意。他说，各国可以通知其他国家，这是我们下周或下下周计划开展的活动。他已经多次提议，一旦南海发生任何事可设立一个电话热线。印尼一直在增强其在东盟中的领导地位，希望利用东盟来展示自己在建立快速发展的经济和稳定的民主制国家中取得的成功。

Its growing economic status means such practical suggestions could win the backing of other Asean members.

印尼不断增强的经济地位意味着，这样的务实建议可能赢得东盟其他成员国的支持。

The talks between Asean and China come as U.S. President Barack Obama plans a historic visit to Myanmar and will also attend a wider gathering of leaders in Cambodia, the East Asia Summit. Indonesia's foreign minister said the U.S. has struck the right tone in its handling of the tensions by staying neutral but flagging worries over ensuring access to the sea lanes, which are vital to global trade.

东盟和中国之间举行会谈之际正值美国总统奥巴马(Barack Obama)计划对缅甸进行历史性的访问，奥巴马还将出席在柬埔寨举行的一个更广泛的领导人会议──东亚峰会。印尼外交部长说，美国在南海问题上保持中立，这是在处理南海紧张局面问题上表明了正确的立场，但美国对确保航道的通畅表示关切，而南海航道对全球贸易而言至关重要。

Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan didn't comment on the idea of countries sharing their plans to use the waters, but said a hotline would be a pragmatic way to ensure quick communication. Thailand─as country coordinator for China at Asean─would propose the idea to China, Dr. Pitsuwan said in interview Saturday.

东盟秘书长素林(Surin Pitsuwan)没有就各国将自己对该海域的使用计划通知其他国家的建议置评。但他说，设立热线将是确保迅速沟通的一个务实做法。素林上周六接受采访时说，作为中国─东盟关系协调国，泰国将向中国提出这一想法。

'I think there is a momentum of goodwill…The fact that (concerned parties) have agreed to lower the decibel between themselves, that's already a good sign that they would work further in the direction of discussing some of these concrete issues, one by one,' Dr. Pitsuwan said.

素林说，我认为各方的意愿是好的，有关各方同意降低争执时的“音量这一事实本身已经是个好迹象，显示出他们将进一步努力朝着讨论一些具体问题的方向迈进，逐一讨论这些问题。

Other territorial tensions in Asia are being discussed, most notably a long-standing territorial conflict between Japan and China in the East China Sea. The spat over a group of islands, which Japan calls the Senkaku and China calls the Diaoyu, has heated up in recent months, sparking Chinese boycotts of Japanese goods and services, which are expected to cost Japanese companies heavily.

此外，会上还将讨论亚洲的其他领土争端，最受关注的是中日在东中国海(East China Sea, 中国称东海）长期存在的领土争端。中日围绕一组岛屿的争端近几个月升温，引发中国人抵制日货的行动。预计这类活动将令日本企业遭受严重损失。中国争议岛屿在日本被称为尖阁列岛(Senkaku)，在中国被称为钓鱼岛。

For now, no bilateral meeting has been scheduled between China's premier and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda.

目前，中国国务院总理温家宝和日本首相野田佳彦(Yoshihiko Noda)之间尚未安排双边会晤。

'The heightening tensions (between Japan and China) are a great concern to Asean nations,' Kimihiro Ishikane, Japan's ambassador to Asean, said in interview. 'They are keeping a very close watch on how the two nations deal with the issue…because of their situation in the South China Sea.'

日本驻东盟大使石兼公博(Kimihiro Ishikane)在接受采访时说，中日之间紧张关系升温是东盟成员国非常关切的一个问题；考虑到这些国家在南中国海的处境，它们都在密切关注中日两国将如何解决这个问题。

Asean leaders also discussed ways to deepen economic integration through harmonizing laws and stripping down trading barriers, according to an official familiar with the talks.

据一位了解会谈内容的官员说，东盟领导人还讨论了通过协调各国法律、消除贸易壁垒等方式来加深经济一体化的途径。

Asean already has an agreement to eliminate all tariffs by 2015. But governments now want to start talks on deeper economic cooperation.

东盟已经达成了一项协议，在2015年前取消全部关税。但各国政府目前希望开始就深化经济合作举行会谈。

Among the early steps being considered are ways to harmonize rules, regulations and customs laws and eliminate other non-tariff barriers.

考虑之中的初步措施包括协调各国规定、法规和海关法并消除其他非关税壁垒的方法。

'It's a major step in thinking, because harmonizing rules for 10 countries with 10 different laws is something we know is very difficult,' the official said, describing the talks as early stage. 'The fact the leaders have started to raise it means there is some political will,' the person said.

上述官员说，这是正在酝酿之中的重要一步，因为据我们所知，协调10个国家的10种不同法律规定非常困难。这位官员称会谈尚处于初期阶段。这位人士说，各国领导人已经开始提出这个问题，这个事实意味着政治上存在一定的意愿。