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East Timor: Indonesia and neighboring Timor Leste agreed to enhance “good relations”

2013/08/04

Indonesia and neighboring Timor Leste have agreed to enhance what they deemed “good relations”, inclunding shoring up support for Timor Leste’s bid for membership of ASEAN, both leaders said on Friday.

Timor Leste President José Maria Vasconcelos, popularly known as Taur Matan Ruak, paid his initial official visit to Indonesia next he took office last year and met with President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Friday at Merdeka Palace.

Yudhoyono told a joint press conference next the conference that he and Ruak shared the same “commitment to continue to improve the partnership someday”.

The conference as well highlighted the border disputes that had been unresolved for years and agreed on one out of three unresolved segments.

Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa revealed that the one segment was Dilumil/Memo.

“We have two additional segments [Bijael Sunan Oben and Noel Besi/Citrana] left with unsettled demarcations on the Indonesia-Timor Leste border and will find a resolution as any minute at this time as possible,” he said.

In March, Yudhoyono promised Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, who paid a visit to Indonesia, some resolution of the three segments. The two nations have managed to demarcate around 97 % of the total land border, which spans 268.8 kilometers.

Indonesia annexed Timor Leste (at that time East Timor) in 1975, but lost control of it next a referendum in 1999. Timor Leste formally declared independence in May 2002.

Both nations are as well seeking to apply a “soft”border approach.

“Of course,border demarcation between the two nations will allow the enactment of a ‘soft’border regime in border areas,” Marty said.

During the Friday conference, Indonesia and Timor Leste as well agreed to launch three border crossing points: Haekesak/Turiskain-Tunubibi, Builalo-Memo and Haumeniana-Passabe. Both nations as well signed a memorandum of considerate (MoU) on visa exemption for diplomatic and service passport holders.

Yudhoyono as well reiterated his full support for Timor Leste’s bid to join ASEAN, saying that “geopolitically and geoeconomically, Timor Leste fits the membership”.

ASEAN is currently studying Timor Leste’s application, which was submitted in 2011.

According to Yudhoyono, Jakarta and Dili as well agreed to increase cooperation in the sectors of trade, investment , fishery, agriculture, education, forestry and transportation.

Trade between Indonesia and Timor Leste has increased over the last few years. Last year, the trade price reached US$258.8 million, against $221.52 in 2011.

Ruak expressed his appreciation for “Indonesia’s support for Timor Leste’s effort to integrate into world communities and for being helpful in developing Timor Leste’s economy”.

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