CHINA ASKS RI TO RELEASE ITS FISHERMEN

Beijing, June 26 (ANTARA) - China has asked the Indonesian government to release its fishermen who were caught when sailing in the South China Sea, and regretted the action," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said here on Thursday.

He said the Chinese government had devoted great attention to the case, and had instructed the Chinese embassy in Indonesia to settle the problem most appropriately.

He called on the relevant authorities to abide by international regulations and asked them to solve the case as soon as possible.

Marine resources and fishery supervisory boats Hiu 003, Hiu 010, and Hiu 001, intercepted and arrested eight Chinese fishing boats on charges of fishing in Indonesia's exclusive economic zone (ZEE) some time ago.

Head of the marine and fishery resources control station Bambang Nugroho said in Pontianak Tuesday he had been informed by a mediator of the Chinese Consulate that the Chinese government cannot accept the arrest of their fisshermen.

"China claimed that any country in the world is free to pass the waters in the area," he said.

Bambang said it is legally alright for any ship sailing through the zone. "But we arrested the eight fishing boats because they were engaged in fishing operations," he said.

"They were fishing in the South China Sea, five degrees northern latitude, 110 decrees eastern longitude, using trawls," he said.

Marine and fishery resources control and supervisory director general Aji Sularso on Monday night confirmed that the Chinese consulate had expressed a protest.

Aji however said it was a usual thing. "Indonesia is a law abiding country and anybody entering our territory had to be arrested. So, there is no need to make too much of a fuss about it," he said