National

Closed Meeting Regarding Ambalat
Wednesday, 23 March, 2005 | 22:30 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Denpasar:A meeting held between Malaysia and Indonesia to discuss the Ambalat conflict on Tuesday (22/3) was a closed meeting.

Both the Malaysian and Indonesia parties refused to provide any confirmation as regards the meeting, which was held at the Grand Mirage Hotel, Tanjung Benoa, Nusa Dua, Bali.

Signs that the meeting was being held were made apparent by an increase in the number of security guards.

In addition, reporters were not allowed to go near the hotel’s main meeting room.

Based on its own investigation, Tempo obtained the information that the Malaysian delegation consisted of 11 people

The Indonesian delegation consisted of nine people, including Arif Havas Ugraseno, the Director of Overseas Agreements at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

There were also representatives from the Indonesian Ministry of Defense, the Indonesian Military (TNI) HQ, the Indonesian Navy, the Indonesian National Survey & Charting Development Coordinating Board (Bakosurtanal), the Indonesian Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, also the Indonesian Ministry of Transportation.

“They are border diplomacy specialists,” said Yuri Oktavian Thamrin, spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

He said that the negotiation team was optimistic that it had convinced Malaysia that Ambalat is part of Indonesia.

“Our legal position is very strong,” said Yuri yesterday, adding that the negotiations were scheduled to last until today (23/3) and were carried out without any third party or mediator.

Rofiqi Hasan/Agus Supriyanto.