Portugal-Netherlands agreement

When I was still rector of Pancasila University, one of my assistants, Leo Simanjuntak, told me that actually without a military invasion to East Timor, this former Portuguese colony was already a legitimate part of the Republic of Indonesia.

That this is so is based on a treaty signed by Dutch foreign minister Carel van Heeckeren and Portuguese foreign minister Ernesto Rudolpho in Lisbon on June 10, 1893.

The treaty was confirmed in Statute Book No. 31/1984 by Dutch queen, Emma.

If this treaty remains valid, East Timor is a legitimate part of the Republic of Indonesia. The treaty mentions the ownership of the western part of Timor island, occupied by the Netherlands, and the eastern part of the island, which was controlled by Portugal.

The treaty also stipulates that if Portugal leaves East Timor, East Timor will automatically belong to the Netherlands by right (part of the Dutch Indies). On the other hand, if the Netherlands leaves the western part of Timor, this part will belong to Portugal.

What was Dutch Indies before, is now the Republic of Indonesia. So, after Portugal left East Timor, this part became part of the Republic of Indonesia.

SUNARTO PRAWIROSUJANTO

Jakarta