南海沿岸国在海域划界前应承担的相互克制义务

The Obligation for South China Sea Countries of Mutual Forbearance in Prior to Delimitation

2002年,中国与东盟各国外长及外长代表在柬埔寨金边签署了一份政治文件——《南海各方行为宣言》,该宣言第四、第五条被认为是对《联合国海洋法公约》第74/83条第3款"不危害或阻碍最后协议达成"的确认,并引申出"相互克制义务"。然而,相较于划界原则以及争端解决程序,相互克制义务尚未引起学界足够的关注,但作为各方在划界协议达成前所应遵守的义务,其重要性依然存在。随着制定具有法律约束力的"南海行为准则"的磋商进程逐步启动,该义务的重要地位逐渐凸显。因此,厘定该义务的概念及内容,并在此基础上探讨南海沿岸国在海域划界前应具体承担的义务,具有重要的现实意义。

On November 4,2002,the foreign ministers of China and ten ASEAN countries signed “The Decla-ration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea”in Phnom Penh,Cambodia.Article IV and V of the Declaration is meant as the confirmation of“the obligation not to jeopardize or hinder the final agreement”ex-pressed in Article 74/83 ,Section 3 of“United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea”,which extends into the obligation of mutual forbearance.However,compared to other principles of delimitation and the dispute set-tlement process in the Convention,this obligation has not drawn many scholars’attention.Even so,its impor-tance as an obligation that all disputed parties shall follow is still preserved.In fact,the importance is growing as the dialogue of the binding “Code of Conduct in the South China Sea”is initiated.It is of practical signifi-cance to clarify the concept and content of this obligation and discuss the consequent commitment binding all disputed parties before delimitation.