SINGAPORE : Singapore and Indonesia have achieved a significant milestone in bilateral ties.
They exchanged the Instruments of Ratification for the Treaty which defines the sea boundaries of the two countries in the western part of the Strait of Singapore on Monday.
The treaty was signed in March last year in Jakarta.
Negotiations started in 2005 and there were six meetings in all.
Officials said the territorial sea boundary line agreed in the treaty is a continuation of the sea boundary line signed in May 1973.
The foreign ministers of both nations said there is still one aspect which needs to be looked into.
"We have also agreed to begin the process of demarcating that stretch of our border between Changi and Batam. There is one more stretch between Pedra Branca and Bintan, but that will be done later after we have demarcated that part of the seas with Malaysia," said Singapore's Foreign Minister George Yeo.
There has been much activity in the area of Singapore-Indonesia bilateral ties this year, firstly with the Retreat meeting between Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in May.
Both countries' foreign ministers said they plan to meet informally once every six months to update each other on the state of bilateral ties and also prepare for the next leaders' meeting of the two countries.
During the recent Leaders Retreat, both countries announced that several working groups have been set up to enhance bilateral cooperation. The foreign ministers said their work is progressing well.
"I note that our collaboration is important not only for bilateral purposes, but also within the process of ASEAN. And I cannot emphasise the value that we attach to the various exchanges Singapore and Indonesia has had over the years on matters to do with ASEAN," said Dr Marty Natalegawa, Indonesia's Foreign Minister.
On the work of the workgroup on counter-terrorism, Mr Yeo said: "There is considerable trust and mutual understanding between the two sides, and it is because of this foundation of trust that they are able to act together and mount security operations, very often with great success."
The Indonesian foreign minister also held talks with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana earlier on Monday. - CNA /ls
Regular talks for Singapore, Jakarta
Foreign ministers will meet every 6 months to review links and working groups' progress
Jeremy Au Yong Straits Times 31 Aug 10;
THE foreign ministers of Singapore and Indonesia have agreed to meet informally every six months, to regularly review the links between the two nations.
The meetings will be part of a broader effort that includes seven joint working groups covering areas such as counter-terrorism, cruise tourism and civil aviation.
Explaining the need for regular dialogue, Foreign Minister George Yeo said it would allow both sides to review progress of the working groups and 'make sure the process is chugging along nicely in time for the next meeting of the leaders'.
He was speaking at a joint press conference with his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa, who was in Singapore on a one-day introductory visit yesterday.
Dr Natalegawa became the Indonesian Foreign Minister last October.
Yesterday, he called on Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong at the Istana in the morning before meeting Mr Yeo.
Mr Lee expressed satisfaction at the present state of warm relations between the two countries and Dr Natalegawa, in turn, reaffirmed Indonesia's commitment to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
The Indonesian minister returned to Indonesia last night after attending a buka puasa (break fast) meal hosted by Mr Yeo.
The highlight of his brief visit was the afternoon ceremony at which the two foreign ministers exchanged instruments of ratification for the recent treaty on the delineation of the sea boundary between the two countries.
The treaty - which lays down the western segment of the maritime border line between the two countries - was signed in Jakarta in March last year.
Since then, both governments have ratified the agreement. Yesterday's ceremony marked the completion of a five-year process that began with negotiations in 2005.
Both ministers hailed its completion as a milestone in their relations.
Said Mr Yeo: 'This is a happy occasion, a celebration of the coming to force of an important border agreement between Indonesia and Singapore.'
They also agreed to begin talks to settle the eastern segments of the maritime border. An agreement on the middle section was signed in 1973.
Two sections of the eastern border remain unresolved: The first runs between Changi and Pulau Batam, and the second, between Pedra Branca and Pulau Bintan.
Discussions will focus on the first section as the second border line would depend on the outcome of Singapore-Malaysia talks on Pedra Branca's boundaries.
The two sides were optimistic that future negotiations will be fruitful.
'I'm sure the spirit which guided the negotiation on the western border will similarly guide us on the demarcation of that stretch,' said Mr Yeo.
During their meetings, they also discussed how to strengthen collaboration in the Asean community. Indonesia will chair the grouping next year. However, they did not touch on the defence pact or extradition treaty - the two outstanding bilateral issues between Singapore and Jakarta.
Asked if Indonesia's ongoing spat with Malaysia over a disputed maritime border had any impact on ties with Singapore, Dr Natalegawa said: 'Nothing, none whatsoever.'
He added: 'Both sides are keen to ensure that whatever issues we have are dealt with through the usual diplomatic channels.'
The mood of yesterday's proceedings generally reflected the warm and friendly state of ties at the moment, but there was a sombre moment as well.
Both ministers made it a point to pay tribute to the late Mr S. Tiwari, Singapore's chief negotiator on the boundary pact. Mr Tiwari died last month, at the age of 64.
'We remember him, we thank him for all that he had done. I'm sure he's here in spirit to celebrate with us,' said Mr Yeo.
In turn, Dr Natalegawa offered condolences on behalf of the Indonesian government. 'We appreciate the fact that his leadership and foresight and tremendous contribution have made possible the treaties we signed just now,' he said.
Indonesia, Singapore exchange border agreement
Antara 31 Aug 10;
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian and Singapore governments have exchanged a Ratification Agreement Charter on Fixing the Sea Boundary of the Two Countries South of Singapore.
The charter agreement, according to the Foreign Ministry in Jakarta on Monday was ratified by Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty M.Natalegawa and his Singapore counterpart George Yong-Boon Yeo at the Singapore foreign ministry.
The agreement was the product of eight rounds of negotiations between the two countries since 2005.
Under Article 5 of the Agreement, the exchange of the charter caused the agreement to become effective as of August 30, 2010.
On the occasion, the two foreign ministers also signed a Joint Submission Letter for depositing the agreement to the United Nations Secretary General.
The sea boundary agreed on under the agreement is the continuation of the sea boundary already agreed upon in the agreement between Indonesia and Singapore on the Sea Boundary signed on May 25, 1973.
The sea boundary between Indonesia and Singapore was fixed on the basis of international law, namely the 1982 Sea Law Convention, in which the two countries are part of the Convention.
In deciding on the sea boundary, Indonesia used its basic point reference in Nipa Island, and the basic lines of the Indonesian archipelago drawn from Nipa Island to Karimun Besar Island.
The basic lines are the basic lines of the archipelago whose coordinates are set in Law no 4/Prp/1960 on the Indonesian Waters which had been renewed by Government Regulation No 38/2002 and Government Regulation No 37/2008.
The coordinates are set by using the World Geodetic System of 1984 Datum (WGS 1984) and the lines connecting each of the coordinates: 1 (1:10/46.0/NL (North Latitude), 103:40/14.6/ EL (East Longitude); 1A (1:11/17.4/NL, 103:39/38.5/EL); 1B (1:11/55.5/NL, 103:34/20.4/EL); and 1C (1:11/43.8/NL, 103:34?00.0/EL).
The sea boundary in the western segment will make it easier for security personnel and shipping safety in operating in the Singapore Strait, because there is legal security on the sea boundaries of the two countries.
The negotiating technical team for the Indonesian maritime limit consists of representatives of ministries and sectoral representatives of the ministries and the relevent sectoral trans agencies namely the foreign ministry, defense ministry, Military Headquarters, Navy Headquarters, and the Navy`s Hidro-Oseanographic Agency.
The team also gets inputs from a team of experts comprising experts and academicians.
Now that the agreement had been ratified, the next step would be increasing bilateral cooperation in managing the border regions, including those related to navigational security issues, the environment, and the use of natural resources.
With the completion of the sea boundary in the western segment (Tuas/Nipa Island), there is still the eastern segment 1 and eastern segment 2 which need to be negotiated by the two countries.
The eastern segment 1 is the Batam/Changi and eastern segment 2 is the area around Bintan-South Ledge/Middle Rock/Pedra Branca which is still awaiting the result of further negotiations between Indonesia and Singapore.
The two foreign ministers agreed to immediately start the negotiations on the sea boundary in the eastern segment (Batam-Changi). (*)
Indonesia, Singapore to start more border talks
Lilian Budianto, The Jakarta Post 1 Sep 10;
Indonesia and Singapore will proceed with another round of border negotiations, after successful resolution of an earlier spat in the eastern Singapore Strait, said the countries’ foreign ministers.
The success comes after four years of negotiations between Indonesia and Singapore— and at a time when Indonesia has been under pressure to push Malaysia to start long-awaited border negotiations.
Relations between Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur have frayed after the recent arrest of Indonesian officials by Malaysian police in disputed waters off Indonesia’s Riau Islands province.
At a joint press conference in Singapore, Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said Jakarta and Singapore would begin the process of demarcating the border between Changi and Batam immediately.
That border is one of two sections of the two nations’ sea border that have not been settled.
“There is one more stretch, between Pedra Branca and Bintan, but that will have to be done later, after we have demarcated that part of the sea border with Malaysia,” Singaporean Foreign Minister George
Yeo said.
“So for the next stage, we will concentrate on the sea between Changi and Batam,” he added.
Marty visited Singapore Monday to meet with Yeo at a ceremony to exchange ratification documents on the border negotiations that had been concluded last year.
The border negotiations have hogged the spotlight in bilateral diplomatic relations, over worries that the city-state might use reclaimed shoreline as a basis for determining the border. Singapore has conducted booming coastal expansion since 1999, reclaiming land using sand imported from Indonesia, before Jakarta banned exports in 2003.
Singapore reportedly turned to Cambodia for sand for its reclamation projects.
During the meeting, both ministers agreed to regular informal meetings every six month to assess bilateral relations.
Marty said that both ministers should be able to keep in close contact to address problems that might rise more frequently due to the countries’ geographical proximity.
“I think this is something that both of us agreed to in our previous conversation: That we should make it more practical and more pragmatic to meet whenever a situation requires us to meet, so that we can always have an opportunity to engage and maintain good communications,” said Marty.
Indonesian and Malaysian relations have recently turned sour after demonstrations threatening attacks on Malaysian interests have continued across the archipelago. Angry crowds have said they were outraged by Malaysia’s arrest of Indonesian officials in the disputed waters, which some say has trampled on the dignity of Indonesia.
Indonesia and Malaysia have been involved in several standoffs, such as disputes on cultural heritage, the treatment of migrant workers and border claims.
Marty said the current row between Malaysia and Indonesia would not impact relations with Singapore or ASEAN relations, as Jakarta is set to chair the Southeast Asian regional group next year.
“Obviously we have our ways and means of dealing with whatever problems and challenges through normal diplomatic channels and it has not had any impact whatsoever with the bilateral ties we have, certainly, with Singapore,” said Marty.