Manila Accord facts for kids
| Manila Accord consists of Manila Accord, Manila Declaration and Joint Statement between Federation Malaya, the Republic of the Philippines and the Republic of Indonesia | |
|---|---|
| Drafted | 7 June 1963 |
| Signed | 31 July 1963 |
| Location | Manila, Philippines |
| Signatories | |
| Parties | |
| Depositary | Philippines Government dated 30 December 1965 The Secretary-General of the  United Nations acting in his capacity as depositary the following:(English ) and (French) Registered A-8029 and I-8809 |
| Language | English |
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The Manila Accord was an important agreement signed on July 31, 1963. It was signed by three countries: the Federation of Malaya, Indonesia, and the Philippines. This agreement came after a meeting held in Manila, Philippines, from June 7 to 11, 1963.
The meeting was started by President of the Philippines Diosdado Macapagal. Its main goal was to solve disagreements about the future of North Borneo and Sarawak. These areas were considering joining the new country of Malaysia. The Accord aimed to make sure that the people in North Borneo and Sarawak could freely choose their future. This meant having a fair vote, or referendum, without anyone forcing them.
Contents
What Was the Manila Accord?
The Manila Accord was a set of agreements between Malaya, Indonesia, and the Philippines. It also included a joint statement from all three countries. These documents laid out how they would deal with important issues in the region.
Why Was the Accord Needed?
At the time, there were some big questions about how the new country of Malaysia would be formed. The Philippines had a claim to eastern North Borneo (which is now called Sabah). Indonesia also had concerns about the formation of Malaysia. The Accord was an attempt to find a peaceful way to resolve these differences. It emphasized that the wishes of the local people in North Borneo and Sarawak were very important.
What Happened After the Accord?
Soon after the Accord was signed, things became difficult between the Philippines and Malaya. On September 24, 1963, the Philippine Embassy in Kuala Lumpur (Malaya's capital) was closed. This happened because the two countries could not agree on the Philippines' claim to eastern North Borneo. Also, the Philippines did not immediately recognize the new country of Malaysia. Diplomatic relations between the two countries were paused until May 1964.
Trying to Settle the Claim
By February 7, 1966, relations between the Philippines and Malaysia became much calmer. Both countries agreed to follow the Manila Accord of 1963. They also agreed to a "Joint Statement" that called for a peaceful way to settle the Philippine claim to North Borneo.
The agreements stated that both countries needed to meet soon. The goal was to understand the claim better and discuss how to solve it. They wanted to find a solution that would make both sides happy, following the Manila Accord. Malaysia also confirmed that including North Borneo in Malaysia would not affect the Philippines' claim or rights to the land. All parties agreed to find a fair solution through talks, mediation, or other peaceful methods.
On June 3, 1966, Malaysia and the Philippines again agreed to stick to the Manila Accord. They confirmed their commitment to peacefully settling the claim over North Borneo (Sabah). They also stressed the need to meet and discuss how to resolve the issue.
The Manila Accord and its related agreements were officially registered with the Secretary-General of the United Nations. This means they are recognized international agreements.
In 1968, Malaysia and the Philippines tried to hold talks in Bangkok. These talks were meant to clarify the Philippine claim and discuss ways to settle it, as agreed in the Manila Accord. However, the Malaysian delegation reportedly ended the talks suddenly. This stopped the discussions on how to resolve the land dispute.
See Also
- Foreign relations of Indonesia
- Foreign relations of Malaysia
- Foreign relations of the Philippines
- Sovereignty dispute over Sabah
- Succession of states
- Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties
- Vienna Convention on Succession of States in respect of Treaties
