National

Indonesia and East Timor to Discuss Maritime Borders
Tuesday, 12 April, 2005 | 08:18 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:The Indonesian and East Timorese governments have signed a temporary agreement on land borders between the two countries.

“Following the negotiation on land borders between the two countries, we shall continue our negotiations regarding maritime borders,” Arief Havas Oegroseno, chairman of the Border Negotiation Team, told TEMPO on Friday (08/04).

According to Oegroseno, the temporary agreement will cover 96 percent of land borders and negotiations shall continue until the agreement covers 100 percent of land borders.

The three areas still to be discussed are the Besi, Manusasi and Memo Rivers, all of which are located in Indonesian territory.

Previously, there were nine areas to be settled by both Indonesia and East Timor.

These were inherited from colonial agreements made by Portugal and the Netherlands regarding Indonesian and East Timor, and were marked by stones, trees and other natural materials.

The maritime borders yet to be discussed include the southern maritime border in the Timor Sea and the Sawu Sea in the north.

“The Timor Gap does not belong to Indonesia anymore,” said Oegroseno. (Yophiandi-Tempo News Room)