Indonesian Navy denies Indonesia lost border territory to Singapore

Antara 9 May 09;

Batam (ANTARA News) - A senior naval officer has denied allegations that with the recent signing of a border agreement with Singapore, Indonesia had lost territory.

The agreement covered the western segment of Indonesia`s maritime border with Singapore.

"Perhaps, on certain parts of the border, we did lose territory but in other parts, we gained territory, so there was no loss," said Commodore Edhi Nuswantoro, assistant for operations to the Indonesian navy`s chief of staff, here Friday.

He further stressed that the lines taken from some segments of the boundary were changed from horizontal to lopsided toward the eastern part.

"Before it was a straight line, now it is lopsided. In some parts , our territory shrank but elsewhere our territory widened," he said while showing a map of Indonesia-Singapore sea boundaries.

Indonesia succeeded in convincing Singapore to determine waters territory by measuring diameter of outer island but not from reclaimed shore in line with Convention on Sea Law of 1982.

By doing so, shore reclamation conducted by Singapore will not affect the border of the two countries.

Touching on some segments of the territory which could not yet result in an agreement, especially east segment of sea boundary which is located between Bintan island of Indonesia and Changi airport of Singapore, he said overlapping recognition is still applicable.

Under overlapping recognition, he said the government of Indonesia could take action against Singapore fishermen entering that territory and vise versa.

"It is really overlapping, but it is the case..." he said.

Singapore delayed the sea territory agreement for east segment with Indonesia, as that neighboring country has to settle their dispute on Batu Puteh with Malaysia. (*)