Australia, E. Timor agree on treaty<\/p>\n
CANBERRA (AP): After almost a year of negotiations, Australia
\nand East Timor have agreed to the terms of a new treaty dividing
\nroyalties from oil under the Timor Sea, Prime Minister John
\nHoward said Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Howard said Foreign Minister Alexander Downer and Industry
\nMinister Nick Minchin reached agreement this week with
\nrepresentatives from East Timor and the United Nations authority
\nadministering the territory during its transition to
\nindependence.<\/p>\n
"There was an agreement concluded between Sen. Minchin and Mr.
\nDowner negotiating on behalf of the Commonwealth, and people
\nnegotiating on behalf of the new emerging state of East Timor,"
\nHoward told reporters.<\/p>\n
Howard said on Monday night he had given the go-ahead to
\nDowner and Minchin to travel to East Timor this week to formally
\nsign the treaty.<\/p>\n
In East Timor's capital, Dili, Nobel Peace laureate Jose
\nRamos-Horta, who acts as the territory's foreign minister,
\nwelcomed the agreement and said the deal would guarantee the
\ntiny, nascent nation US$400 million a year from 2004.<\/p>\n
"This was the best possible outcome for East Timor," he said.<\/p>\n
Canberra and the U.N. Transitional Authority in East Timor
\nhave been negotiating the treaty since October last year to
\nreplace an earlier treaty between Australia and Indonesia that
\ndivided up the royalties on a 50-50 split.<\/p>\n
UNTAET and East Timor's new leadership have argued for a 90-10
\nsplit favoring the fledgling state, but Australia was initially
\nreluctant to be so generous.<\/p>\n
According to an Australian official who spoke on condition of
\nanonymity, the breakthrough came with Canberra relenting to East
\nTimor's position during talks last Thursday. Both countries were
\neager to have the treaty signed as the impasse was holding up
\ninvestment by oil companies.<\/p>\n
The UNTAET and East Timorese negotiators have taken the draft
\nagreement back to Dili where it will be considered next Tuesday
\nby the transitional Cabinet.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/australia-e-timor-agree-on-treaty-1447893297",
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