Malaysian leader urges code of conduct for South China Sea

​​​​​​​By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim called on Tuesday for a “conclusion” of the code of conduct "as soon as possible” for addressing and solving disputes in the South China Sea.

Anwar made the statement during his trip to Brunei where he held talks with Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah and former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Malaysia is the current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Thaksin was invited as an advisor to the bloc's chair by Anwar on regional affairs.

China and the ASEAN are conducting discussions to sign a code of conduct in the resource-rich vast waterbody where several of the bloc's members have competing claims with Beijing.

“With regard to the disputes in the South China Sea, we agree that there needs to be broader diplomatic progress multilaterally,” Anwar said, hoping that “negotiations on the Code of Conduct can be concluded as soon as possible.”

Anwar also addressed how to enhance “intra-ASEAN trade and cooperation” and discussed the situation in Myanmar.

The Myanmar military regime’s escalating violence and human rights abuses continue throughout the fourth year after a military coup.

The ASEAN is a 10-nation Southeast Asian bloc representing Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.​​​​​​​