RI and PNG discuss border agreement

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)