ID :
77118
Wed, 08/26/2009 - 19:56
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/77118
The shortlink copeid
News Focus: AMBALAT BORDER TALKS BEGIN TO SHOW PROGRESS
By Eliswan Azly
Jakarta, Aug. 26 (ANTARA) - Indonesia and Malasyia seem finally to have overcome an impasse in their protracted dispute over the oil-rich Ambalat block in the Sulawesi Sea.
The two neighboring countries were reported to have made some progress in their negotiations on their maritime border in the Ambalat area.
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda on Wednesday said the progress was among other things thanks to the presence of a renewed negotiating team from Malaysia which had helped smooth the negotiations.
A meeting held in Kinabalu, Malaysian, on July 20, 2009 to discuss the two countries' marine border was an indication of the progress expected to bring a solution to the row, he said.
According to him, previously Malaysia's negotiation team for legal issues had relied on the attorney general for the negotiations' materials. But now, Kuala Lumpur had set up a directorate general for international agreements facilitating the negotiation processes, according to Wirajuda.
Besides, the Malaysian negotiating team was also more open to ideas, concepts and methods of the negotiation process, which was welcomed by the Indonesian team, he said.
Minister Wirajuda said that in line with the 1982 Convention on the International Law of the Seas, a marine border line could not be claimed unilaterally by a country, but it should be based on agreement with other related parties through negotiation process.
Earlier, Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Hj Tun Abdul Razak during his visit to Jakarta in May this year called for negotiations rather than enforcing the two countries' own will to solve every problem including maritime boundary issues, especially the Ambalat question between Malaysia and Indonesia.
"The two neighbouring countries have to negotiate (in solving the maritime boundary issues) in a harmonious situation although it will take time," he said.
According to Najib, there had been an agreement with Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that they would call up each other when possible problems arouse between the two countries.
"I believe (such a measure) can prevent a problem from growing," said Najib who was inaugurated as Malaysian prime minister to replace Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on April 3, 2009.
Najib further said a channel should also be set up not only on the basis of G to G (government to Government), businessmen to businessmen or parliament to parliament but also people to people and media to media in an effort to seek a win-win solution
In the meantime, Dedy Djamaluddin, a member of the House of Representatives (DPR)`s Commission I representing the National Mandate Party (PAN), earlier said if both parties in the Ambalat issue continued to stick to their respective claims, it would be difficult to find a peaceful solution to the problem.
However such talks held by the negotiating teams of the two countries was really good as an effort to prevent unwanted incidents from happening in the future, he said.
The boundary dispute between the two neighboring countries, including the one involving the Ambalat area which is believed to be rich in oil and gas deposits, is currently being tackled by a Malaysia-Indonesia technical committee which already met nine times.
Meanwhile, Dedy Djamaluddin`s colleague in the House`s Commission I, Andreas Pareira of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction, said dialogue should be taken by Indonesia to solve the dispute, but the government of Indonesia should give priority to the strengthening of its maritime fleet to drive Malaysia away from Ambalat waters.
Indonesia does not want its row with neighboring Malaysia over the Ambalat maritime area, to go to the International Court of Justice, according to Commdr. Parulian Simamora, Director for International Cooperation at the Directorate for Defense Strategy.
"Going to the Court could result in a victory or a defeat. Just look at what have happened with Sipadan and Ligitan," he said, referring to two islands the Court awarded to Malaysia in 2002 after a long legal battle.
While Indonesia claims sovereignty over Ambalat according to an internationally-recognized map of borders, Parulian said, it was willing to reason with Malaysia in the General Border Committee.
The Committee, comprised of high officials from both countries, meets regularly to discuss border problems, including the development of disputed areas.
"Malaysia has used its own partial 1979 map to substantiate its claim, which we believe isn't valid as evidence. However, we'd rather work on a consensus than go to a court," Parulian said.
The row over the Ambalat area, located in the east of Kalimantan adjacent to Malaysia, blew up in 2005 and escalated into weeks of display of military might and demonstrations in both countries.
While no conclusion has been reached over the issue, Parulian said both countries were now exercising joint-monitoring over the area, which also has oil reserves.
Indonesia has land borders with Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste, a former Indonesian province which separated from Indonesia through a UN-brokered referendum in 1999.
Having mutually-agreed terms on land border issues with the neighbors, Parulian said, was crucial because of the high level of trans-national crimes, including people trafficking and contraband in those areas.
"The areas are usually isolated, far from central monitoring and thus pretty much a safe haven for such crimes. It takes collective efforts by related countries to safeguard the areas," Parulian said.
The notion was seconded at the seminar by Lt. Col. George Hislop from Britain, which has had a decades-long conflict with Ireland over Northern Ireland.
In his presentation, he said it was essential to achieve unity of efforts among all agencies involved in the border, in aspects of communication, common boundaries, command arrangements and border-controlled zones.***
Jakarta, Aug. 26 (ANTARA) - Indonesia and Malasyia seem finally to have overcome an impasse in their protracted dispute over the oil-rich Ambalat block in the Sulawesi Sea.
The two neighboring countries were reported to have made some progress in their negotiations on their maritime border in the Ambalat area.
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda on Wednesday said the progress was among other things thanks to the presence of a renewed negotiating team from Malaysia which had helped smooth the negotiations.
A meeting held in Kinabalu, Malaysian, on July 20, 2009 to discuss the two countries' marine border was an indication of the progress expected to bring a solution to the row, he said.
According to him, previously Malaysia's negotiation team for legal issues had relied on the attorney general for the negotiations' materials. But now, Kuala Lumpur had set up a directorate general for international agreements facilitating the negotiation processes, according to Wirajuda.
Besides, the Malaysian negotiating team was also more open to ideas, concepts and methods of the negotiation process, which was welcomed by the Indonesian team, he said.
Minister Wirajuda said that in line with the 1982 Convention on the International Law of the Seas, a marine border line could not be claimed unilaterally by a country, but it should be based on agreement with other related parties through negotiation process.
Earlier, Malaysian Prime Minister Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Hj Tun Abdul Razak during his visit to Jakarta in May this year called for negotiations rather than enforcing the two countries' own will to solve every problem including maritime boundary issues, especially the Ambalat question between Malaysia and Indonesia.
"The two neighbouring countries have to negotiate (in solving the maritime boundary issues) in a harmonious situation although it will take time," he said.
According to Najib, there had been an agreement with Indonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono that they would call up each other when possible problems arouse between the two countries.
"I believe (such a measure) can prevent a problem from growing," said Najib who was inaugurated as Malaysian prime minister to replace Abdullah Ahmad Badawi on April 3, 2009.
Najib further said a channel should also be set up not only on the basis of G to G (government to Government), businessmen to businessmen or parliament to parliament but also people to people and media to media in an effort to seek a win-win solution
In the meantime, Dedy Djamaluddin, a member of the House of Representatives (DPR)`s Commission I representing the National Mandate Party (PAN), earlier said if both parties in the Ambalat issue continued to stick to their respective claims, it would be difficult to find a peaceful solution to the problem.
However such talks held by the negotiating teams of the two countries was really good as an effort to prevent unwanted incidents from happening in the future, he said.
The boundary dispute between the two neighboring countries, including the one involving the Ambalat area which is believed to be rich in oil and gas deposits, is currently being tackled by a Malaysia-Indonesia technical committee which already met nine times.
Meanwhile, Dedy Djamaluddin`s colleague in the House`s Commission I, Andreas Pareira of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction, said dialogue should be taken by Indonesia to solve the dispute, but the government of Indonesia should give priority to the strengthening of its maritime fleet to drive Malaysia away from Ambalat waters.
Indonesia does not want its row with neighboring Malaysia over the Ambalat maritime area, to go to the International Court of Justice, according to Commdr. Parulian Simamora, Director for International Cooperation at the Directorate for Defense Strategy.
"Going to the Court could result in a victory or a defeat. Just look at what have happened with Sipadan and Ligitan," he said, referring to two islands the Court awarded to Malaysia in 2002 after a long legal battle.
While Indonesia claims sovereignty over Ambalat according to an internationally-recognized map of borders, Parulian said, it was willing to reason with Malaysia in the General Border Committee.
The Committee, comprised of high officials from both countries, meets regularly to discuss border problems, including the development of disputed areas.
"Malaysia has used its own partial 1979 map to substantiate its claim, which we believe isn't valid as evidence. However, we'd rather work on a consensus than go to a court," Parulian said.
The row over the Ambalat area, located in the east of Kalimantan adjacent to Malaysia, blew up in 2005 and escalated into weeks of display of military might and demonstrations in both countries.
While no conclusion has been reached over the issue, Parulian said both countries were now exercising joint-monitoring over the area, which also has oil reserves.
Indonesia has land borders with Malaysia, Papua New Guinea and Timor Leste, a former Indonesian province which separated from Indonesia through a UN-brokered referendum in 1999.
Having mutually-agreed terms on land border issues with the neighbors, Parulian said, was crucial because of the high level of trans-national crimes, including people trafficking and contraband in those areas.
"The areas are usually isolated, far from central monitoring and thus pretty much a safe haven for such crimes. It takes collective efforts by related countries to safeguard the areas," Parulian said.
The notion was seconded at the seminar by Lt. Col. George Hislop from Britain, which has had a decades-long conflict with Ireland over Northern Ireland.
In his presentation, he said it was essential to achieve unity of efforts among all agencies involved in the border, in aspects of communication, common boundaries, command arrangements and border-controlled zones.***
