For the benefit of those less proficient in
Bahasa Indonesia, I would like to read out the
joint press statement issued by the Minister
of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia and Malaysia
as an outcome of their meeting [inaudible] between
9 p.m to approximately 10.30 p.m earlier this
evening.
Point One: The President of Indonesia and the
Prime Minister of Malaysia have decided to use
peaceful means in addressing the problem relating
to the maritime boundary of the two countries
particularly in the Sulawesi Sea. In this light,
the Foreign Minister of Indonesia and Malaysia
met tonight, Wednesday 9th of March 2005, at
the side of the ASEAN-EU Ministerial Meeting
in Jakarta.
Point Two: In accordance with the principal
of International Law particularly the 1982 UN
Convention of the Law of the Sea, any maritime
boundary delimitation needs to be peacefully
settled by agreement. Indeed the governments
of Indonesia and Malaysia have discussed the
matter during several previous occasions particularly
at the meetings of the joint commission for
bilateral cooperation in 2002 and 2004 as well
as the meeting on Maritime Boundary Delimitation
between Indonesia and Malaysia on 22nd to 23rd
of July 2004 in Kuala Lumpur.
Point Three: Both governments agreed to take
necessary steps to ease the growing tension
that has developed during the last several days.
During the meeting, the two Foreign Ministers
exchange views pertaining to the basic positions
of the respective countries. In the context
of peaceful resolution, the two Foreign Ministers
agreed that a technical team from the two countries
will urgently meet in Indonesia on 22nd to 23rd
of March 2005. And that this technical team
will meet on a regular basis.
That is the joint press statement issued by
the two Foreign Ministers following their meeting
earlier this evening. And I should have mentioned
that the first portion of their meeting between
9 to 9.45 p.m was tet to tet meeting involving
only the two Foreign Ministers followed by from
9.45 to 10.30 p.m a plenary meeting between
the two delegations of the two countries.
As I said in the beginning we are not taking
questions at this time except my duty has been
to simply read out the statement as has been
produced by the two Foreign Ministers. The statement
has been copied and will be available at the
end of this meeting.
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Jakarta, 9 March 2005
Direktorat Informasi dan Media
Departemen Luar Negeri RI
