Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – The Indonesian government will intensify negotiations with Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Timor Leste and Palau on land and sea boundaries in order to safeguard the national sovereignty and integrity.

The Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, made the statement in the 2021 press statement here on Wednesday (Jan. 6).

She explained that, with Malaysia, Indonesia will formalize the results of the negotiations on territorial sea boundaries in the Sulawesi Sea segment and the southern part of the Malacca Strait. Furthermore, Indonesia will continue with the negotiation process for other segments, in particular the boundaries of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

In addition, Indonesia and Malaysia will also resolve the east sector of Outstanding Boundary Problems (OBP) demarcation, including Sebatik Island, which is located on the east coast of Kalimantan.

"With Palau, we will finalize a partial agreement on certain segments which we reached in the 2019-2020 negotiations on the EEZ boundary," Retno said.

Meanwhile with the Philippines, the Indonesian government will initiate negotiations on the continental shelf boundary. After the EEZ boundaries negotiations completed in 2014, both parties agreed that the continental shelf line and the EEZ are two different regimes.

Retno further said that Indonesia would also continue negotiations on the EEZ with Vietnam, which was delayed due to the pandemic.

With Timor Leste, Indonesia will complete the remaining two Unresolved Segments, in accordance with the Agreed Principles in 2019.

The two negotiating teams also agreed that maritime boundary negotiations would start after the land boundary issues have been resolved.

"In particular, I would like to emphasize one principle related to sovereign rights in Indonesian waters, that any claim by any party must comply with the international laws, including UNCLOS 1982," Foreign Minister Retno said.

She stressed that Indonesia would reject any claims that have no legal basis.

"Indonesia reminds that respects for territorial integrity and sovereignty are the main principles of friendly relations among countries in the world based on the U.N. Charter and the international laws," Indonesian Foreign Minister said.

Reporting by Indonesia Window