RI and PNG discuss border agreement

NUSA DUA, Bali (JP): Officials from Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are holding a three-day Joint Border Committee meeting in hopes of fostering security, stability and better cooperation in border management.

Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. opened the meeting on Monday and told the 66 participating officials that one priority is to determine the location of a proposed border post.

"The border post should be completed by the end of the year 2000. However, we should also be judicious in determining where and when the border post should be placed," he said.

He expressed hopes that the Joint Sub-Committee on Security can improve cooperation so that the two countries can deal more effectively with "security disturbing groups" that have been launching secessionist activities.

Meanwhile, Papua New Guinea, through its Minister for Provincial and Local Level Government Affairs of Papua New Guinea, Peter Barter, affirmed its commitment to involve greater numbers of traditional peoples who live along the border in business activities.

Barter stressed that cross-border trade is vital to the economic development of the border region, and that Papua seeks the Indonesian government's cooperation to facilitate similar endeavors.

Last month Papua began construction of a road connecting Wutung and the border in order to facilitate border crossing.

Papua also agreed to sign an MOU during the three-day meeting to establish an exchange rate facility for the Kina and Rupiah between the two countries' central banks.

"The exchange rate monetary facility is expected to deter attempts to set up black market in currencies," he said. (33)