SECURITY IN AMBALAT BEING MAINTAINED ACCORDING TO STANDARD PROCEDURES

Jakarta, May 28 (ANTARA) - Indonesian Defense Forces (TNI) Chief General Djoko Santoso said security in Ambalat waters, East Kalimantan, is being maintained according to marine border standard
operation procedures.

The TNI and the Malaysian Defense Forces adhered to common standard operation procedures to secure the marine border between the two countries, including in Ambalat waters, Santoso said here on Thursday after attending a seminar themed "Understanding Estranged Indonesia : Socio Cultural Realities about RI-Malaysia Borders".

"So, if there is a violation, both sides will carry out their tasks in line with the common procedures they have agreed upon, including how to communicate with them until driving away their ships trespassing Indonesian territory," he said.

The two countries' border in Ambalat must be defined soon by both nations, he said.

While negotiations on the border were still going on, TNI continued to secure the Ambalat water area in line with the standard operation procedures of the TNI and Malaysian Defense Forces, he said.

The TNI Chief said the two countries often hold routine meetings to discuss various issues concerning the two nations' borders on land and in the seas.

Indonesia's KRI Untung Surapati-872 warship on Sunday managed to drive away a Malaysian warship, the KD Yu-3500, which had tried to trespass Indonesian water territory in the Ambalat Block.

A day earlier, the Indonesian Navy's KRI Hasanudin-366 also drove away KD Baung-3509, a helicopter of the Malaysian Martime Enforcement Agency, and a Malaysian Beachraft which tried to enter the Ambalat Block area.

According to data of the TNI, there were nine territorial violations by Malaysian marine and police vessels.

Recently, Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said negotiations between Indonesia and Malaysia on the status of the Ambalat block border were still going on, and no agreement had yet been reached.

"The negotiations are still going on between the Indonesian foreign affairs ministry's legal and international agreement director general and his Malaysian counterpart," the minister told ANTARA.

He said Malaysia had so far not given up its claim to the Ambalat block which Indonesia considers as being part of its territory.