11.  He said successful action against sea robbery would require close cooperation among the littoral states.

12.  Instead of an outright toll, he said littoral states could take money for helping navigation and for protecting ships against piracy.

13.  But MIMA senior fellow Raja Malik Saripulazan Kamaruzaman said the Law of the Sea allowed charges for services rendered by littoral states.

14.  But oil exploration is being held up by uncertainty over which of the five littoral states owns which part of the sea.

15.  China and several littoral states have varying claims on the Spratly islands just north of the Natunas.

16.  The summit has been delayed repeatedly since March last year because of serious disagreements between the littoral states.

17.  The summit has been delayed repeatedly since last March because of serious disagreements between the littoral states.

18.  They are also at odds over the sharing of the resources, notably oil, of the Caspian Sea, among its littoral states, which include both countries.

19.  With other littoral states, there are cooperation agreements that could lead to free trade.