RI, Malaysia call for closer co-op

RI, Malaysia call for closer co-op

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and Malaysia concluded a three-day
joint commission meeting yesterday stressing the need for closer
cooperation and demarcation of exclusive economic zone borders
and boundary lines between the two countries.

The two-day meeting of senior officials and one-day
ministerial meeting ended yesterday with the signing of the
minutes of the meeting's results by Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ali Alatas and his Malaysian counterpart Abdullah Badawi.

Both expressed confidence that the joint commission would help
further boost relations between the two neighboring countries.

Among the central issues being tackled was the demarcation of
borders in their respective exclusive economic zones in the
Malacca straits and certain boundary lines in Kalimantan.

Alatas said he would like experts from both countries to come
together to discuss the matters.

He said there is a need for "a meeting of experts of the two
countries to talk about and agree on the delineation of the
exclusive economic zone based on the 1982 Sea Law convention".

He argued that by clearly defining lines in the exclusive
economic zone in the straits, fishing disagreements could be
diminished.

Separately, delegates were confident that the issue of
boundary lines between the Malaysian state of Sabah and
Indonesia's East Kalimantan would be settled within the next
three or four years.

The joint commission was established in 1990 as a forum for
discussing and further intensifying cooperation.

At the end of the meeting yesterday, delegates also noted
progress in the development of the Indonesia-Malaysia-Singapore
Growth Triangle, the Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle
and the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines-East ASEAN Growth
Area.

Prevalent border disputes between the two countries include
the Sipadan and Ligitan Islands, located off the northeastern
coast of Kalimantan.

Both Alatas and Badawi stressed yesterday that the two
countries agreed to settle the issue amicably through the
International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Another enduring issue between the two countries is the
question of Indonesian workers in Malaysia.

The commission expressed yesterday each side's conviction to
take steps in curbing the entry of illegal workers.

There are over 600,000 Indonesians legally working in
Malaysia. The exact number of illegal workers in Malaysia is
unknown, but observers believe it is equal to the number of legal
workers. (mds)