RI, SINGAPORE SIGN AGREEMENT ON PART OF MARINE BORDER

Jakarta, March 10 (ANTARA) - The Indonesian and Singaporean governments have signed an agreement on the western segment of their common marine border.
The documents containing the agreement were signed by Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda and his Singaporean counterpart, George Yeo, at the foreign affairs ministry here on Tuesday.
"This agreement is on our marine border in the western part near Tuas- Nipa Island," Minister Wirajuda said.
The minister said the agreement was the second on marine borders signed by the two nations.
"The previous agreement was signed on May 25, 1973," he said.
The agreement reflected the two countries' commitment to adhering the the International Law on the Seas, he said.
The agreement on the western segment of the two countries' marine border was reason for optimism that they would also be able to complete talks on the eastern segment of their border although there was no deadline for the negotiations, he said.
Meanwhile, Singaporean Foreign Affairs Minister George Yeo said negotiations on the eastern segment of the two countries' marine border would be conducted soon, after the ratification of the agreement signed on Tuesday.
The two countries still needed to hold discussions on the eastern segments 1 and 2 of their common marine border.
The Eastern Segment 1 is located in Batam-Chani, and the Eastern Segment 2 is around Bintan-South Ledge/Middle Rock/Pedra Branca, pending the results of negotiation between Singapore and Malaysia following the ICJ (International Court of Justice)'s decision.
The agreement on the western segment of the Indonesia-Singapore marine border was signed after eight rounds of negotiations since 2005.