Soeharto, Mahathir to discuss Sipadan

JAKARTA (JP): President Soeharto is expected to fly to Malaysia in the near future to discuss bilateral issues, including the dispute over the Sipadan and Ligitan islands.

Soeharto's plan was announced by Armed Forces Chief Gen. Feisal Tanjung in Bandung on Saturday.

Feisal said that Soeharto would meet with Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, Antara reported. He would not say when the President would leave for Malaysia, saying only that it would be "soon."

Soeharto canceled a trip to Kuala Lumpur in July because he had to fly to Germany for a health check-up.

"Indonesia wants to settle the dispute over Sipadan and Ligitan in a familial fashion between two countries based on the spirit of ASEAN," Feisal said after meeting with participants in a commando staff training program.

Located just off the northeastern coast of Kalimantan, the origins of the disputes go back to the colonial legacies of Great Britain and the Netherlands.

Talks set up to settle the dispute through a joint Indonesia- Malaysia working group, made up of delegations from the respective foreign ministries, reached an impasse after Malaysia demanded that the issue be taken to the International Court of Justice.

Jakarta refused the proposal, arguing that any arbitration should take place through the institutions provided within the framework of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Both countries along with Brunei, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam are members of ASEAN.

Ministerial level talks have also failed to achieve significant progress.

"The Malaysians want it that way, but we're still endeavoring for a solution based on the ASEAN spirit," Feisal replied when asked to comment on Kuala Lumpur's wish to settle it through the international court.

Feisal maintained that Jakarta wants to solve the dispute amicably. "The solution mustn't sacrifice the larger interest of relations between the two countries which have so far been well constructed," he said. (mds)