http://www.cnn.com/2002/WORLD/asiapcf/southeast/11/01/asean.spratlys.ap/index.html Cambodia, of all places, may have just been the location of a major breakthrough between the contesting parties of the South China Sea territorial disputes. Four of the six governments contesting parts or all of the South China Sea are in ASEAN: Viet Nam (all), Malaysia, Brunei, and the Philippines. In addition, both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China on Taiwan claim the entire South China Sea. According to this agreement, the claimaints (only the ROC was not represented at this meeting) would not settle any more of the uninhabited islands in the region and would render aid if necessary, This region is believed to contain considerable amounts of natural gas and petroleum. There are three principle disputes in the region. The best known of the three is over the Spratly Islands in the southern part of the region. All six claimants maintain garrisons on one or more of the islands with the exception of Brunei. The ROC has a garrison on the largest island in the chain. Viet Nam, PRC, and ROC claim the entire chain. The Philippines claims a region it calls Keleyaan ('Freedomland') near its southwestern islands. Malaysia claims islands that lie near its eastern states of Sarawak and Sabah as well as islands lying between the Malaysian mainland and the two Kalimantan states. Brunei claims coastal waters off its coast. The other two disputes are between Viet Nam and China. One is the Paracel Islands and the other is the maritime boundary between Hainan Province (China) and northern Viet Nam. The most recent clash in the region occurred in August when a Viet Namese garrison fired at Philippine planes overflying the region. Gee, wonder why that didn't get the press coverage the Chinese-Philippine clashes earlier this year and last year received?