RI refutes Lisbon's claim over Timor Gap

RI refutes Lisbon's claim over Timor Gap

JAKARTA (JP): The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday
refuted claims of a victory made by Portugal concerning last
week's ruling by the International Court of Justice over
Indonesia's agreement with Australia for joint oil exploration
off Timor.

The UN court ruled last week that it had no authority to hear
a case in which one of the parties, Indonesia, was not included.

Portugal had filed the case with the court asking that the
1989 Timor Gap Treaty between Indonesia and Australia be declared
illegal.

"The Indonesian government welcomes the decision by the
International Court of Justice in The Hague in a 14:2 vote which
convincingly rejects the Portuguese challenge against Australia
in the Timor Gap case," the ministry said in a statement.

Trying a case without the consent or presence of all parties
to a dispute is against the principles of international law and
the statutes of the International Court of Justice.

Despite the dismissal of the case, Portugal and Ramos Horta,
an East Timor separatist leader in exile, said the court's ruling
was still a victory. Specifically, they pointed to the court's
apparent recognition of the right to self determination by the
East Timor people.

However, according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the
ruling simply restated a general international principle, and
that as far as Indonesia was concerned, there was nothing new in
it.

"For Indonesia, the right of self determination was already
acted upon in 1976 when the East Timorese people chose to become
independent by integrating with Indonesia," said the Ministry's
statement.

The Ministry is also pleased by the court's ruling that
Portugal should not be the only party through which East Timor
affairs must be considered.

Australia is also elated by the ruling. Foreign Minister
Gareth Evans described it over the weekend as a "very big win for
Australia in an extremely important case."

"It confirms beyond a doubt our capacity to continue to
explore for oil in territory that we have always claimed is, in
fact, Australia's," Evans said in Canberra on Saturday.

Australia is one of the first Western nations to recognize
Indonesia's sovereignty over East Timor. It has also been one of
the staunchest critics of Indonesia's handling of the former
Portuguese colony. (emb)