KL, Singapore iron out differences on Pedra Branca vicinity fishing

Both nations can do traditional fishing half a nautical mile off rocky outcrop
Chuang Peck Ming, Business Times 2 Sep 08;

MALAYSIA and Singapore have agreed that traditional fishing by both countries will continue beyond 0.5 nautical mile off Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge.

The agreement came after Malaysia protested at Singapore wanting to claim an exclusive economic zone around Pedra Branca - a rocky outcrop east of Singapore, which the International Court of Justice awarded to Singapore in May.

A joint statement issued yesterday by Singapore and Malaysia said the second Malaysia-Singapore Joint Technical Committee (MSJTC) Meeting on the Implementation of the ICJ Judgment, which made the traditional fishing agreement on Aug 20, agreed also to set up a Sub-Committee on Maritime & Airspace Management and Fisheries. The sub-committee also met on Aug 20.

On Aug 18, Malaysia said it had given Singapore an 'official warning' over territorial claims surrounding South Ledge.

The move came a month after Singapore said its maritime territory around Pedra Branca extended for up to 12 nautical miles and claimed an exclusive zone around the island. That meant Malaysia would have limited access to the waters around Middle Rocks, which fall within the zone.

While the ICJ confirmed Singapore's ownership of Pedra Branca and handed nearby Middle Rocks to Malaysia, it ruled that South Ledge belongs to whoever owns the territorial waters it sits in.

Yesterday's joint statement said both sides at the Aug 20 meeting 'reiterated their commitment to honour and abide by the ICJ's judgment and fully implement its decision by continuing the discussions pursuant to the previous MSJTC Meeting' on June 3.

According to the joint statement, the Aug 20 meeting reviewed the work of the Sub-Committee on Joint Survey Works and agreed the sub-committee should continue talks to finalise technical preparations relating to a joint hydrographic survey.

It was also agreed that the Sub-Committee on Maritime & Airspace Management and Fisheries continue to discuss other issues relating to maritime and airspace management.

Both sides are 'very pleased with the progress' made by MSJTC and agreed that it meet again in the middle of this month.

Traditional fishing can go on
Today Online 2 Sep 08;

SINGAPORE and Malaysia have begun talks on maritime and airspace management, following a second meeting on Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge.

They said that they had formed a Sub-Committee on Maritime and Airspace Management and Fisheries, which met in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on Aug 20.

In a press statement yesterday, the Malaysia-Singapore Joint Technical Committee (JTC) added that traditional fishing activities by both countries will continue in waters beyond 0.5 nautical miles off the three maritime features in the Singapore Strait, some 40km east of the Republic’s main island.

Both countries also agreed that the Sub-Committee on Maritime & Airspace Management and Fisheries should continue to hold discussions with regard to other issues relating to maritime and airspace management.

On May 23, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in the Hague awarded the island of Pedra Branca to Singapore, Middle Rocks to Malaysia, and ruled that South Ledge belonged to the country in whose territory it was located.

Yesterday, the two sides reiterated their commitment to honour and abide by the ICJ’s judgment and fully implement its decision by continuing their discussions pursuant to a previous JTC meeting held in Singapore on June 3.

The JTC reviewed the work of its Sub-Committee on Joint Survey Works and agreed that the sub-committee should continue to hold discussions to finalise technical preparations relating to the hydrographic survey. Their next meeting will be held in Singapore in about two weeks.

Pedra Branca: New joint panel formed
Goh Chin Lian, Straits Times 2 Sep 08;

SINGAPORE and Malaysia have set up a new sub-committee to deal with maritime, airspace and fishing matters around Pedra Branca, Middle Rocks and South Ledge.

Both sides will also finalise over the next few weeks technical preparations for a joint survey of the area.

That will pave the way for eventual discussions on how to delimit the territorial seas there.

Both sides yesterday provided an update on issues relating to the enforcement of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment on sovereignty over the three maritime features.

The update followed the second meeting of the Joint Technical Committee on Aug 20 at Malaysia's seat of government in Putrajaya.

In May, the ICJ awarded Pedra Branca to Singapore and Middle Rocks to Malaysia. It also ruled that South Ledge belonged to whoever owns the territorial waters it sits in.

The three features in the Singapore Strait are located some 40km east of the Republic's main island.

At the latest meeting, both sides agreed that the new sub-committee on maritime and airspace management and fisheries should continue to hold discussions in the following weeks.

They also gave the go-ahead for fishermen to continue with their traditional fishing activities in waters beyond 0.5 nautical miles off the three maritime features.

The joint press statement issued yesterday, by Malaysia's Foreign Minister Rais Yatim and Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo, reiterated both countries' commitment to 'honour and abide by the ICJ's judgment and fully implement its decision'.

The Joint Technical Committee, co-chaired by Malaysia's Foreign Ministry secretary-general Rastam Mohd Isa and Singapore's Permanent Secretary for Foreign Affairs Peter Ho, is due to meet again in the middle of this month in Singapore.