MALAYSIAN ARMED FORCES CHIEF IN INDONESIA TO DISCUSS AMBALAT

KUALA LUMPUR, June 10 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Armed Forces chief General
Abdul Aziz Zainal will meet with his Indonesian counterpart Wednesday to
discuss Malaysia's proposal over Ambalat, a sea block in the Celebes Sea which
the two countries have overlapping territorial claims.

Defence Minister Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Abdul Aziz scheduled to leave
for Indonesia Tuesday evening for the meeting and would get the feedback on
the proposal.

He said his ministry was suggesting that the Ambalat waters not be patrolled
the conventional way by Malaysia and Indonesia's navy vessels but to find a
better approach in resolving the dispute, but he did not elaborate on the
approach.

Ahmad Zahid was speaking to reporters after attending the launching of a
book titled "Najib, the Sixth Prime Minister of Malaysia" by the prime
minister's wife Rosmah Mansor, here, Tuesday.

He said the discussions on basic and technical matters over Ambalat would be
brought to the meetings of the General Border Committee and Technical Committee,
the main committees looking into the issue.

Ahmad Zahid said the Ambalat issue would not be a heated one if it was not
played up by certain quarters, especially at a time when Indonesia was facing a
presidential election, although Najib Razak and the Indonesian president had not
made any official statement on the matter.

"Let the issue be resolved by both parties amicably in the spirit of
brotherhood," he said.

Asked on the visit by three Indonesian delegations to Malaysia, he said they
had not met him and if they did, both sides should not be provocative but to
discuss amicably to avoid a quarrel between Malaysia and Indonesia.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian Commission I delegation wants Malaysia to show
seriousness and not delay discussions on the overlapping claims over Ambalat so
that the issue could be resolved fast.

Delegation head Dr Yusron Ihza stated its stand on the issue when the
delegation paid a courtesy call on Lower House of Parliament Deputy Speaker Dr
Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar at Parliament building, here, Tuesday.

"We believe that Ambalat belongs to Indonesia and we have long benefited
from it," he said at the one-hour meeting.

Ambalat, located east of Kalimantan and south-east of Sabah, is said to be
rich in crude oil and has been claimed by Malaysia and Indonesia since the
1960's.

So far, 13 discussions had been held at the technical level over the issue
but no decision had been reached.

A delegation representative, Dr Andreas H. Pareira, questioned the presence
of Malaysia's Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN) vessels and marine police patrol boats
in the disputed Ambalat waters on 17 occasions this year alone.

"We are asking and hoping that Malaysia will stop trespassing the disputed
territorial waters," he said.

However, Wan Junaidi said the RMN and Malaysian marine police presence in
the area was in line with international law and United Nations convention that
allowed a government to show its presence in the area it claimed.

"Except if both countries agree not to show their presence (in Ambalat),
then there would not be any misunderstanding over the matter," he added.

Wan Junaidi said he would convey Indonesia's stand on Ambalat to the members
of parliament and would urge those concerned to speed up the discussions.

He also told the delegation that Malaysia's recent purchase of submarines
and upgrading of its military equipment, which the delegation had mentioned,
was not to show off its military power or to threaten any party but only for its
defence.

"Malaysia has all along been upholding the principle of peaceful
co-existence, especially with its neighbours like Indonesia.

"Malaysia also wants to contribute to regional defence while under pressing
circumstances, it does not want to the weakest player," he said.

At the end of the meeting, Wan Junaidi and the Indonesian delegation
comprising six MPs agreed that the parliamentarians of both countries should
meet more often to strengthen bilateral ties.
-- BERNAMA