Still Talking About Claim To Sabah

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31725, 8 July 1968, Page 11

Still Talking About Claim To Sabah

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) BANGKOK, July 7. Malaysia and the Philippines move into the fourth week of talks on Manila’s claim to Sabah tomorrow, with little hope of getting down to serious and substantive discussions.

With their respective positions still poles apart, the two delegations last week fought over almost every word of the records of what they had said in earlier meetings. The Philippines stands pat on her position that her claim of sovereignty over Sabah derived from the Sultan of Sulu is a legal issue which should not be judged by Malaysia but only by the International Court of Justice.

Malaysia, firmly in possession of Sabah, maintains that she must thoroughly clarify Manila’s claim before any substantive discussions on the possible modes of settlement.

In these circumstances, last week produced only one session of Malaysia’s questions and the Philippines’ answers on two 1962 documents said to be about the heirs of the sultanate of Sulu and Sultan Ismail Kirarn ceding Sabah to the Philippines Republic. Otherwise, the two delegations were bogged down in heated arguments on the draft records of the fourth session prepared by the joint drafting team which the Philippines delegation consider crucial to their cause.

Tempers were frayed and angry words were exchanged in going over the draft records.