Call for South China Sea 'code of conduct'
![Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa says nine years have passed since the Association of South East Asian Nations and China agreed to develop a code of conduct and the time had come for talks to produce results. [ABC]](http://www.abc.net.au/reslib/201002/r514995_2811704.jpg "Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa says nine years have passed since the Association of South East Asian Nations and China agreed to develop a code of conduct and the time had come for talks to produce results. [ABC]")
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Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa says nine years have passed since the Association of South East Asian Nations and China agreed to develop a code of conduct and the time had come for talks to produce results. [ABC]
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Indonesia says a code of conduct is urgently needed between Beijing and southeast Asian nations to prevent conflict in the South China Sea.
Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa says nine years have passed since the Association of South East Asian Nations and China agreed to develop a code of conduct and the time had come for talks to produce results.
After a meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers in Lombok he said there has been plenty of time for the guidelines to be considered.
He said if the situation is allowed to remain dormant and inactive it could create unnecessary complications.
Mr Natalegawa said the sense of the meeting was that there must be a greater sense of urgency in finalising guidelines.
Indonesia took over the ASEAN chairmanship this year.
The South China Sea is a strategic shipping route and is home to numerous islands that are subject to territorial claims from countries including ASEAN members.
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