Maritime Borders Out Of Bounds At Ocean Meet

Jakarta - The sensitive issue of Indonesia`s maritime boundaries will not be discussed during the world`s first conference on oceans and coastal areas in Manado, North Sulawesi, next week, the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries said on Monday.

“There will be no discussion on solving any dispute about borders with neighboring countries because that would be the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, not the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries,” said Syamsul Ma`arif, the director general of the ministry`s maritime, coastal areas and small islands.

Speaking during a press conference on preparations for the World Ocean Conference on May 11-14, Syamsul said the only discussions about borders would relate to conservation efforts to preserve the marine ecosystem through regional cooperation.

“We are talking about preserving coral reefs uniting six different countries and also involving 120 million people of those countries,” he said, adding that the coral triangle area has about $2.3 billion in economic potential a year.

Up to 5,000 people from 121 countries are expected to attend the four-day conference.

The Coral Triangle Initiative Summit will follow on May 15, where Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Solomon Islands are expected to sign a declaration outlining an agreed combined approach on coral reefs, fisheries and food security.

Countries have earmarked $250 million for coral reef preservation but these funds remain under the control of each individual nation.

The CTI was introduced by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the APEC leaders` meeting in September 2007. Fidelis E Satriastanti & Arti Ekawati

Source: http://www.thejakartaglobe.com (4 Mei 2009)
Photo: http://forum.kapalselam.org

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