(VOVworld) – The Austria-Vietnam Friendship Association held a seminar on the East Sea at Austria’s Diplomatic Academy this week.

Doctor Afred Gerstl analyzed the location of China’s oilrig with the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the moves and intentions of countries concerned such as Vietnam, China, the Philippines as well as the US, Japan, India, and Russia. He also analyzed the role of ASEAN in defusing tensions in the East Sea and possible impacts on the region when the Trans-Pacific Partnership is signed. Doctor Gerstl said Vietnam’s sovereignty claim is based on the 1982 UNCLOS and historical documents from the reign of King Le Thanh Tong in the 15^th century, which were reconfirmed by France in 1884. He said that Austria’s National Library holds an ancient document, which is evidence of Vietnam’s sovereignty over the Hoang Sa archipelago.