Wednesday, April 30, 2008
President: All RI-Timor Leste Borders Fixed by Year-End
Source: Antara News

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said here Tuesday Indonesia and Timor Leste are expected to have fixed all their common boundaries by the end of 2008.

Speaking at a joint press conference after a meeting with visiting Timor Leste Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao at the Merdeka Palace, Yudhoyono said a joint technical committee had so far completed discussing 97 percent of the subject matter on their common borders.

"We hope the technical committee will be able to complete its task at the end of this year. In our meeting (with Prime Minister Gusmao) we also discussed the border matter," President Yudhoyono said.

On the occasion, the Indonesian president also expressed Indonesia’s support for a relatively flexible system to regulate traditional border-crossing by people living in the two countries` frontier regions.

"Indonesia welcomes the flexible system for traditional border-crossers," he added.

Prime Minister Gusmao, meanwhile, said he highly appreciated the existing cooperation between the two countries which was forged on the basis of friendship and a desire to make common progress.

"My discussion with President Yudhoyono was like a young man asking for his elder brother’s views and inputs," he said.

Besides bilateral matters, the two heads of government also discussed regional issues.

President Yudhoyono said he and Gusmao also discussed three regional issues, namely Indonesia’s support for the extension of the United Nations Integrated Mission in Timor Leste (UNMIT)`s service in Timor Leste, Indonesia’s encouragement of Timor Leste to join ASEAN, the climate change issue in relation with the sustainability of coral waters.

On bilateral defense cooperation, President Yudhoyono said Indonesia basically welcomed such cooperation.

"However, we should handle the matter of military cooperation carefully to prevent misunderstanding about Indonesia’s military role in Timor Leste," he added.

Military cooperation could be carried out, among others, by exchange of visits between military officers of the two countries, he added.

"We would also welcome the holding of joint exercises to deal with natural disasters. The matter can be further formulated by the two countries` defense ministers," he added.

The international community should not be worried about by the existence of Indonesia-Timor Leste cooperation in the military field, he said.

Gusmao arrived here on Monday for a state visit until Wednesday (April 30). President Yudhoyono officially greeted Gusmao at the Merdeka Palace on Tuesday morning.

On Tuesday afternoon, the Timor Leste prime minister would meet House of Representatives (DPR) Speaker Agung Laksono and the chairman of the People`s Consultative Assembly, Hidayat Nur Wahid.

On Wednesday, Gusmao will hold a meeting with Indonesia’s military chief, attend a luncheon with Indonesian businessmen, and visit the National Police Headquarters.

He is scheduled to return to the Timor Leste capital of Dili on Friday (May 2).