Indonesia hails enforcement of UN sea law
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia yesterday hailed the enforcement of the UN's Law of the Sea Convention which finally grants world recognition to the concept of Indonesia as an archipelagic state.
Coordinating Minister for Political Affairs and Security Soesilo Soedarman announced yesterday that Indonesia's territorial waters will automatically increase by three million square kilometers when the convention goes into effect on Nov. 16.
Indonesia has been fighting for 37 years to gain international recognition of its status as an archipelagic state, a concept which grants Indonesia sovereignty over all the waters that lie between its 17,000 islands.
"We're happy because our 37 years of fighting have now paid off," Soesilo said after the meeting.
The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea was enacted in 1982 but its enforcement was postponed until this year largely because of resistance from some powerful countries.
Soesilo convened a special coordinating meeting at his office yesterday to review Indonesia's preparation in anticipation of convention's enactment, the Antara news agency reported.
The meeting determined that much needs to be done.
"There are hundreds, may be even thousands, of issues that we need to resolve in connection with the convention," Soesilo told reporters after the meeting. "As a consequence, we will not be able as yet to fully exercise our sovereignty over all our territorial waters."
Among the most important issues cited by Soesilo are the need to draft new laws and regulations in compliance with the convention and the archipelagic state concept and also regulations pertaining to the exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf.
Disputes
Indonesia must also resolve border disputes with a number of neighboring countries, including Australia and Vietnam, who, in regards to the sea, have overlapping claims with Indonesia.
Soesilo said that the armada of the Indonesian Navy is also insufficient to guard all its territorial waters, especially now with the addition of the three million square kilometers.
The Navy is now expecting to receive 39 warships from the former East German arsenal, beefing up its strength considerably.
The Navy needs more submarines to guard the vital Indonesian straits which are also international sea lanes, he said, adding that ideally the Navy should possess four submarines.
He stressed, however, that the Navy's armada will be strengthened in line with the state's budget capability.
Senior diplomat Hasjim Djalal, who is Indonesia's foremost expert on the law of the sea, said that under the archipelagic state concept, which is recognized by the UN convention, Indonesia now has the right to determine the sea passages for international ships passing through its territory.
Hasjim, who accompanied Soesilo at the press briefing, said Indonesia will be consulting with foreign users of Indonesia's sea lanes to determine where the passages will be located. (emb)