Territorial Limits Determination of negotiations with Singapore in March End
Source: Compass
Although the international provisions of the Exclusive Economic Zone or UNCLOS 1982 has dirati-fication and entered into force in 1994, 70 percent of Indonesia have agreed EEZ neighboring countries.
Head of the Central Area Boundaries Mapping Coordinating Agency Survey and Mapping Sobar Sutisna, Friday (2 / 3) in Jakarta, explained, EEZ are not yet agreed on the state border with East Timor, Palau, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, and India. So far EEZ boundary agreement is reached with the Australian and Papua New Guinea. In or United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, the EEZ is defined as the sovereign rights over natural resources management in the water column.
Besides EEZ, which also continued Sobar as Chairman of the Technical Working Group of Indonesian Maritime Boundaries, there are two maritime boundary jurisdiction of the unresolved, namely the territorial sea boundary and continental shelf boundaries.
Although the continental shelf boundary was determined based on the UN Convention of 1958, but the process has not been completed until now. For the continental shelf about 30 percent that have not been agreed, which is bordered by the Philippines, Palau, and East Timor.
In addition, until now the Indonesian side has not reached agreement on the territorial sea boundary with three countries, namely Singapore, Malaysia, and Timor Leste. Its length reaches 40 percent of all maritime boundary jurisdiction of Indonesia.
Territorial sea boundary with Malaysia, which have not been resolved in three areas, namely in the Straits of Malacca along the 17 mile sea 12 nautical miles in Tanjung Datu, West Kalimantan, and 18 miles in Sebatik, East Kalimantan. Meanwhile, with East Timor, the Indonesian Government has not agreed on more than 100 miles long, territorial sea limits.
Meanwhile, according to the 1973 agreement on the border between Singapore and Indonesia have set six points in the base of the west to the east of the island of Batam. When viewed from the side of Singapore, the starting point was in the Sultan Shoul to east or west of Singapore Changi. These points are definite, is not affected by the expansion of Singapore because of the reclamation area.
Section is now at issue in the west along the 14 miles. While in the east along the line includes 28 miles.
Area delimitation talks between Singapore and Indonesia have started again last year. Parties agree on the determination of Singapore only western region. "Further discussion is scheduled to end this March," said Sobar.
For a discussion of territorial borders with Singapore, especially in the west, Indonesia to hold on a map made in 1973. While Singapore today asking to do the survey again.
Recognized solution to this problem can not be set a target time. Because to achieve agreement of both parties and the readiness of its neighbors, Sobar explained.
But if negotiations with Singapore on the fixed boundary impasse, which may be taken steps Indonesia is taking it to the International Tribunal for the Law Of The Sea in Hamburg, Germany. "In this international tribunal could be one of the parties who filed the case," he said. In this he was optimistic that Indonesia's sovereignty over the right to limit the area.
Among the boundary negotiations with the six neighboring states, see setting Sobar fastest boundaries can be realized with the Philippines, which has expressed willingness to completion of this process. Discussion of both parties for the determination of boundaries in the Sulawesi Sea has been started in 1994.
Meanwhile, setting boundaries with Palau can not be done because Indonesia does not have diplomatic relations with small countries in the Pacific. Currently the negotiators from Indonesia awaiting approval from the House to open Palau diplomatic relations with.
He saw wore ill-border problem-solving in the absence of our seriousness in protecting the outer region. "They are reluctant to solve problems maritime boundary determination, because there is no pressure from stakeholders in the Indonesian side," said Sobar. He therefore welcomed the deployment of Army Navy patrols the border with Singapore, a few days ago. (YUN)
