Littoral states want forum to discuss Malacca security
Littoral states want forum to discuss Malacca security
Adianto P. Simamora, The Jakarta Post/Jakarta
Foreign Ministers of Southeast Asia's three littoral states --
Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore -- are planning on holding a
ministerial forum to discuss security matters in the Strait of
Malacca.
The forum will be aimed at addressing issues pertaining to
security in the strait from a political perspective, according to
a foreign ministry official.
"Discussions on security issues in the Strait of Malacca have
so far been conducted on an operational level, among navies of
the three countries. We want a regular forum to discuss
(security) matters in a political context," Marty Natalegawa, the
ministry's spokesman, said on Friday.
He said the idea of hosting the forum had been raised by the
ministers on several occasions during bilateral talks.
Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda and his Singaporean
counterpart expressed their mutual understanding on the need for
the forum in a recent phone conversation, he said.
"But when and how the forum will be effective is still not
known," said Marty.
He also expressed concerns over the idea of hiring private
security firms to help guard commercial ships passing the strait.
"From a foreign policy perspective, clearly, we don't support
the idea," he said.
Malaysian authorities have also spoken out against private
security firms operating in the narrow strait, which links
trading and oil centers in the Middle East, Asia and Europe.
According to the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore are responsible for
safeguarding the strait.
The three littoral states have launched a coordinated patrol
to stamp out growing piracy attacks along the 600 kilometers of
the strait.
According to data, more than 50,000 commercial ships carrying
more than one-third of global trading commodities and one-half of
the world's crude oil pass through the strait each year.
The Paris-based International Maritime Bureau's International
Chamber of Commerce recorded 28 pirate attacks in 2003 on
commercial ships in the strait, a significant increase from 16
cases the previous year.
A number of countries such as the United States, Japan and
India have expressed their readiness to help guard the strait.
Singapore was initially open to U.S. involvement in securing
the strait, but Indonesia and Malaysia immediately voiced strong
reservations.