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Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Rejects Australian AMIZ Request
Friday, 24 December, 2004 | 02:05 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Indonesian Minister of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Freddy Numberi has said he considers the request of the Australian government to extend its maritime capacity zone for 30 miles would interfere with the sovereignty of Indonesia.

Therefore, his ministry has supported the rejection made by the Indonesian Foreign Ministry regarding the request of the Australian government, which has been delivered to the United Nations.

“The new security zone planned by Australian government will clearly encroach into the territory of Indonesia. As a nation, Indonesia is disturbed by this matter,” said Numberi at his office in Jakarta on Sunday (19/12).

The Indonesian government, Numberi said, needs to question the reason why the Australian government delivered such a request to the UN.

“What for? And on what grounds?” Numberi stated.

The request made by the Australian government was aimed at obtaining access to supervise the maritime area around 30 miles from the Exclusive Economic Zone.
(Purwanto-Tempo News Room)