RI, East Timor to demarcate border

KUPANG, East Nusa Tenggara: The Indonesian and Timor Leste governments plan to erect 50 border marker posts this year along the frontier between the two countries. The border demarcation work is being carried out as follow-up to the Memorandum of Understanding signed by Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirajuda and Timor Leste foreign minister Jose Ramos Horta on Aug. 30 in Motaain, East Nusa Tenggara province.

"There will eventually be a total of 900 markers erected to delineate the frontier between Indonesia and Timor Leste. This year, a total of 50 markers will be erected, with the rest to be set up over the next few years," said Col. Noch Bola, commanding officer of the Wirasakti Military Command in East Nusa Tenggara province.

Earlier, Indonesia and the Timor Leste governments had agreed to map out the borders between the two countries before they moved ahead with erecting marker posts. The mapping effort was considered important by both sides for preventing disputes between the two countries.

Timor Leste seceded from Indonesia in 1999 after a popular ballot sponsored by the United Nations. -- Antara