NEW YORK, United States -- Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has called for the South China Sea issue to be resolved within the region.
Anwar made the remarks in response to a question on the role of the United States in the South China Sea issue in a recent interview with Bloomberg Television in New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly.
"As far as the South China Sea is concerned, our position is it's in the centrality of ASEAN, is that it should be resolved within ASEAN and within the region," he said, referring to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Anwar said there is no reason to be unduly concerned about the possibility of tensions in the South China Sea, stressing that "our relations with our neighbors are excellent."
"There have been posturing about possibilities of a clash for decades; now, it does not happen, and I take a more optimistic view of the future," he said.
The prime minister said China's response to the relevant issue is "reassuring," noting that China wants to continue negotiating and seeking an amicable resolution.