INDONESIA SENDS PROTEST NOTE OVER BINTAN WATERS INCIDENT

By Ahmad Fuad Yahya

JAKARTA, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- Indonesia today sent a diplomatic note to
Malaysia protesting Malaysian marine police arrests of three Indonesian maritime
and fisheries officers on Friday allegedly in the waters of Bintan in Indonesia.

The note was handed to the Malaysian Ambassador to Indonesia Datuk Syed
Munshe Afzaruddin Syed Hassan at the Indonesian Foreign Ministry, here.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Dr Marty Natalegawa said the note stated
Indonesia's firm stand that Malaysia had violated Indonesian integrity because
the incident occurred in Indonesian waters.

In the incident on Friday night, Indonesian Maritime and Fisheries
Department enforcement officers arrested seven Malaysian fishermen said to have
encroached into Indonesian waters while the Malaysian marine police arrested the
three Indonesian officers for allegedly trespassing in Malaysian waters.

The location of the incident was said to be in the vicinity of the
Malaysian-Indonesian border near Bintan Island of the Riau Archipelago of
Indonesia.

Dr Natalegawa said Indonesia hoped that negotiations on territorial waters
could be held immediately with Malaysia to avoid similar incidents.
-- BERNAMA


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