ASIA, THE LAW OF THE SEA AND INTERNATIONAL-RELATIONS

The end of the Cold War and doubts about the longevity of the US secur ity commitment in East Asia have raised the potential for both new con flict and new cooperation in the region. Given the salience of maritim e issues in relations among the states of the region, the UN Conventio n on the Law of the Sea, finalized in 1982 and in force since 1994, is of considerable potential significance in fostering an orderly approa ch to areas of tension and avoiding open conflict, especially since Ch ina ratified the Convention in July 1996. However, as the United State s and Russia remain among the non-ratifiers, many uncertainties remain as to its effect and utility in the East Asian arena. This article ex amines the current state of relations among the main national players in the region and the disputes outstanding among them, and assesses th e potential for both conflict and cooperation.