INDONESIA, E TIMOR TO COOPERATE IN FIVE SECTORS

September 8, 2003 7:00am Asia Pulse Businesswire

ATAMBUA, E Nusa Tenggara, Sept 8 Asia Pulse - The Indonesian and East Timorese governments had reached agreement at a meeting in Dili on September 4-6, 2003, on five development sectors.

"The agreement covers the border areas, legal, socio-cultural and educational affairs as well as the sector of transportation and telecommunications," chief of the Belu district police in Indonesia's East Nusa Tenggara province, Adjunct Senior Commissioner Agus Nugroho, said here Sunday.

The meeting was attended by Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hasan Wirajuda and some relevant government officials.

Meanwhile, the East Timorese government was represented by Foreign Minister Ramos Horta and the newly-born country's government officials dealing with the five sectors.

According to Nugroho, the meeting between the two countries at a memorial hall in Dili was a follow-up to a meeting held in Indonesia's capital of Jakarta several months ago.

"The agreement was signed by the two countries' foreign ministers," Nugroho said, adding that the two countries' relevant institutions would follow up on the meeting to discuss the implementation of the agreement on their respective sectors.

To that effect, working groups dealing with different issues in detail would be set up, Nugroho said, adding that he would be a member of the working group in charge of border issues along with officers from the Army and the Navy as well as other officials from relevant institutions including the Foreign Ministry and the Industry and Trade Ministry.

On the working group on border areas, the two countries agreed on the introduction of passes for border crossing for traditional purposes like shopping at markets in Belu district, East Nusa Tenggara, he said.

"In the future, an East Timorese who wants to go shopping at a traditional market in Belu would no longer be required to obtain a passport but a border pass only," Nugroho said.

The working group on border issues was expected to hold a follow-up meeting on the introduction of a order pass on October, 2003, or before December 11, 2003, the Belu district police chief said.

The two countries' immigration offices had also agreed to set up nine immigration posts along the East Nusa Tenggara-East Timor border areas, he said.

The nine immigration posts included five posts in Belu district, namely, in Mota'ain area of Tasifeto Timur subdistrict crossing Batugade area of Bobonaro district in East Timor and Turiskain area of Raihat subdistrict bordering on Tonobibi area of Bobonaro district in East Timor.

The other posts are located in Lakmaras of Lamaknen subdistrict which borders on Lebos area of Bobonaro district in East Timor, Motamasin area of Kobalima subdistrict bordering on Salele area of East Timore's district of Kovalima and Latutus area of Tasifeto Barat subdistrict which borders on East Timor's Kovalima district.

In Timor Tengah Utara district, there are four immigration posts in Napan area of Miomafo Timur subdistrict bordering on Oesilu area of Oecusse district in East Timor, Wini area in Insana Utara subdistrict next to Sakato area in Oecusse, East Timor.

The two countries also agreed to set up immigration posts in Haumeniana area of Miomafo Timor subdistrict which is adjacent to Pasabe area of Oecusse and Tasinifu area in Miomafo Barat subdistrict which borders on East Timor's district of Oecusse.

East Timor officially seceded from Indonesia in October, 1999, as a consequence of the pro-independence camp's victory in the United Nations-organized popular consultation held on August 30, 1999.

The territory integrated into Indonesia in 1976 but the United Nations never recognized the integration process.

(ANTARA)

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