US eyes Timor Sea oil with Darwin plan: Observers

The recently announced US plan to build a military base in Darwin, Australia, may have been prompted by its interests in the Timor Sea oil reserves, experts suggested Friday.

“Besides maintaining political stability and security in the ASEAN region, the US also has an interest in Timor Leste’s oil reserves, to meet future global demands, after its failures to conquer oil-rich Middle Eastern countries,” Kupang’s Nusa Cendana University international law expert D. W. Tadeus said in Kupang as quoted by Antara state news agency.

Timor Sea observer Ferdi Tanoni echoed Tadeus’ statement, saying that aside from political aims, there were economic purposes behind the US’ plan to establish the base, with the oil reserves in Timor Sea being the top priority.

He further added that Australia supported the plan of its long-time ally because it considered Indonesia a threat.

“The point is, conservatively Australia sees Indonesia as a potential aggressor, with its population 10 times that of Australia, so it needs to remain alert [on Indonesia],” said Ferdi, a former immigration officer at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta.

After a meeting with Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard in Canberra on Thursday, US President Barack Obama announced the US’ plan to establish a military base in Darwin, a northern Australian city bordering with southeastern Indonesia, with the Timor Sea in between.

Obama said the base would be equipped with 2,500 US marines, who will be sent to Darwin in stages starting next year.