Indonesia to discuss Timor Gap with Australia and East Timor

Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda said on Friday that Indonesia wanted to discuss the Timor Gap sea boundary with East Timor and Australia in the upcoming tripartite meeting in Denpsar, Bali on Feb. 25.

Speaking to journalists after meeting President Megawati Soekarnoputri, Hassan said that Indonesia would like to reach an agreement on the sea border with the two countries to minimize potential disputes in the future.

"The President has sent strong messages that we have to settle the discussion of our borders, sea or land, with our neighboring countries, to avoid possible problems in the future," Hassan said.

However, the minister said the discussion would not delve into the issue of Timor Gap oil exploration "since the location is not part of Indonesia's territory."

"There are misperceptions among many, who say that we still have should have a share in the Timor Gap exploration, but actually the Timor Gap is not a part of Indonesia. So it should only be discussed between East Timor and Australia," Hassan said.

The Timor Gap is said to be rich in mineral resources. Before East Timor voted to reject Jakarta's autonomy offer in a United Nations-administered ballot in 1999, Indonesia and Australia jointly managed the gap. Shortly after the tiny territory opted for independence, Australia and East Timor entered into a new agreement on the Timor Gap.

The Gap is believed to be rich in oil and natural gas, and prompted Canberra to say last year that the future of the Timor sea development would be the "economic salvation" of East Timor.

Indonesia and Australia signed the Timor Gap deal in December 1991 and appointed 11 oil companies from around the world to explore the site.

Several oil and gas companies, however, have threatened to stop exploration of the area because of complex diplomatic, tax and legal obstacles resulting from confusion over the sea boundary and the fact that previous Timor Gap pacts with Indonesia had to be renegotiated after the 1999 independence vote.

According to Hassan, Indonesia sent an official letter to Australia in early 2000 annulling the Timor Gap agreement as the territory was no longer part of Indonesia.

"What we can do now is only determine the sea boundary of the Timor Gap, on the east and west side, but not about the exploration of oil," Hassan said.

The minister said the coming meeting would review the current temporary border between Indonesia and East Timor and find certain ocean lines to separate the two countries.

Hassan also said after the tripartite meeting, Indonesia would host an international conference on the illegal migrants in Bali. So far 30 countries have confirmed their participation in the conference.

"The illegal migrant conference will be on Feb. 27, after the tripartite meeting," the minister said.