INDONESIA PROPOSES JOINT PATROLS IN DISPUTED AMBALAT WATERS

JAKARTA, June 11 (Bernama) -- Indonesian Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono
Wednesday proposed that Indonesia and Malaysia conduct joint maritime border
patrols in the disputed waters of Ambalat in the Sulawesi Sea.

He conveyed the suggestion to visiting Malaysian Chief of Defence Forces Gen
Abdul Aziz Zainal who had called on him at his office here.

Juwono said both countries could undertake the joint patrols for the
duration of the talks on their territorial borders.

"Both sides can be close to each other within the territorial limits without
trespassing," he told a news conference following the meeting with Abdul Aziz.

Juwono said Indonesia had a similar understanding with Australia along the
common border of their respective territorial waters.

Both Indonesia and Malaysia have overlapping claims on the oil-rich Ambalat
waters.

"We concur that we should respect our respective sovereign rights while our
foreign ministers engage in the technical talks to determine our common maritime
border," said Juwono.

Since 2005, the Indonesian and Malaysian governments, through their
respective foreign ministries, have held 13 rounds of talks on the Ambalat
issue.

The overlapping claims have become a hot issue again during the ongoing
campaign for the Indonesian presidential election scheduled for July 8.

Juwono said he had asked Abdul Aziz to reduce Malaysian naval patrols in the
vicinity of the Indonesian territorial waters to dissipate any perception of
trespassing in Indonesian waters.

On June 4, Abdul Aziz denied media reports in Indonesia claiming that a
Royal Malaysian Navy vessel had trespassed into the disputed territorial waters
of Ambalat.

Abdul Aziz did not issue any media statement Wednesday after his meeting
with Juwono.

He is scheduled to hold a news conference Thursday night following talks
with his Indonesian counterpart.
-- BERNAMA