Diplomacy persists

Diplomacy persists

The article written by Graham Gerard Ong titled Diplomacy can
calm troubled sea (March 9) contains misleading arguments that
require clarification. The deployment of an Indonesian naval
fleet to Ambalat should not be considered as flexing its muscles
aimed at resorting to the use of force in resolving conflicting
claims with Malaysia.

It is a matter of fact that both parties have agreed to
resolve the issue through negotiations scheduled to take place in
May upon Indonesia's initiative. Hence, diplomacy remains to be
the preferred option in resolving differences with any country.

Indonesia has, since 1980, lodged a series of protests against
Malaysia's unilateral claim of areas within its maritime borders.
In this regard, Indonesia adheres to its principled position that
a maritime border has an international dimension in itself and
thus must not be determined single-handedly.

Subsequently, Malaysia's jurisdiction over Sipadan and Ligitan
islands does not validate its decision to draw new maritime
borders since Malaysia is neither an archipelagic state nor has
the justifiable means to exercise any rights contained therein.

Indonesia's response to Malaysia's breach of the former's
territorial sovereignty was done in a proper diplomatic manner.
Therefore, unlike Ong's analysis, the dispatch of three
Indonesian battleships to Ambalat is simply a naval patrol that
may be rightfully exercised by any sovereign state over its
sovereign territorial waters.

TRIYOGO JATMIKO
Jakarta