Indonesia and PNG hold 14th joint border meeting

Indonesia and PNG hold 14th joint border meeting

PORT MORESBY (JP): The 14th Joint Border Committee (JBC) between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea started yesterday, ready to tackle a wide range of issues from trade to security along the border.

The 30-strong delegation of Indonesia is led by Suryata Subrata, the secretary-general of the Ministry of Home Affairs. It also includes Izhar Ibrahim, director general of Political Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The PNG delegation is being led by Lt. Col. Fred Siroi, who is also chairing the meeting.

The meeting is discussing matters which arose at the last meeting in Kalimantan from Nov. 7 to Nov. 9 last year, as well as several existing memorandum of understanding (MOU) on security and communications.

The delegates are expected to examine ways to promote small scale business activities between traditional border crossers, and plan to jointly establish a Social and Economic Geographic Information System at the common border.

Other issues on the agenda include a proposed MOU on movement of nontraditional border crossers and third-country crossers, air service between Daru and Merauke, and the setting of date and venue of the next JBC meeting.

Meetings between the two countries were held in 1979, 1980 and 1984. In 1982 a MOU was signed and the JBC was formed. The JBC usually meets twice a year.

Meanwhile, a joint subcommittee on security matters relating to border areas met here on Tuesday.

At the meeting, Indonesian delegation leader Brig. Gen. Fachrul Razi expressed eagerness to hear PNG's stand on a Draft Standing Operating Procedure submitted at the last meeting on Indonesia's Batam island in May last year.

The draft would be an important tool for the handling of security matters, such as the recent attack on the Indonesian consulate in Vanimo by armed rebels, he said.

He also welcomed Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan's announcement to launch a full scale investigation of the incident. (mbs)