Spratlys - Nansha Islands of China

13.U.S. won't back any country's claim in Spratly dispute: envoy 1999-05-22

ZAMBOANGA CITY - United States Ambassador to the Philippines Thomas Hubbard said his country will not ''support any claim of a particular country'' to the Spratly Islands.

Instead, Hubbard said, ''we would like to see the problem be resolved peacefully."

Hubbard along with other embassy officials was in Zamboanga in the course of a familiarization trip to the area.

According to the ambassador, what the United States would like to see is that the controversy ''will not cause tension in the region."

''We are very concerned, as Americans, in maintaining the open sea [lanes]'' to the Philippines, Japan and other countries in Asia passing by the Spratly Islands, he said.

(Asia Pulse/PNA)

http://www.atimes.com/se-asia/AE22Ae05.html

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