RI-East Timor border agreement expected by year end

The Jakarta Post   |  Tue, 04/29/2008 6:18 PM  |  World

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expected Tuesday that border delineation between Indonesia and its former province East Timor to be agreed later this year.

"Currently, discussion held by a technical committee on borderline between both countries have reached some 97 percent," Yudhoyono told a press conference at Merdeka Palace when welcoming East Timorese Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao.

"We expect the committee can finish its duties by year end."

Yudhoyono also stated Indonesia's support for a softer system for tradition border crossers along the border.

Xanana is in Indonesia for a five-day visit.

Yudhoyono also said basically Indonesia welcomed military cooperation with East Timor.

"However, we have to be more careful in military cooperation to avoid misunderstanding of Indonesian military's role in East Timor," he said.

"Such cooperation can take the form of visit by officers from both countries as well as joint exercise to handle natural disasters."

Indonesia annexed East Timor 1975 after being abandoned by its colonial master Portugal following a bloody civilian war. The annexation got some support from the United States and Australia who feared a communist domino effect in Southeast Asia after the U.S. was defeated in Vietnam.

Meanwhile, Xanana said he appreciated current cooperation between his country and Indonesia in a framework of friendship and a paradigm of common progress. (****)

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