RI, PNG talks on joint border resume

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and Papua New Guinea opened its 13th meeting of their joint border committee yesterday, in the West Kalimantan capital of Pontianak.

Indonesian Minister of Home Affairs Moch. Yogie S.M. said in his opening address the committee should prioritize discussions on establishment of more border posts.

Yogie said Indonesia would seek Papua New Guinea government's agreement to set up border posts in Skou, Sota Waris and Warapko.

Indonesia would also propose development of more aid to navigation, including construction of lighthouses along the two countries' common borders.

Indonesia is also considering building immigration check points near the aid-to-navigation facilities.

Members of the joint border committee meet alternately in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. Last year's meeting took place in Rabaul, Papua New Guinea.

Border crossing is the most common problem that Indonesia and Papua New Guinea are trying to regulate. Indigenous populations of Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea along the two countries' border have strong traditional relations.

In the past, diplomatic ripples between Port Moresby and Jakarta used to occur when the border crossings involved guerrillas of the Free Papua Movement who sought a state independent from Indonesia.

Yogie told the meeting yesterday that Indonesia had almost completed a four-kilometer road connecting Irian Jaya and Papua New Guinea.(pan)