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| Southeast Asia |
| Yudhoyono to quiz Hill on maritime security zone |
| 2004-12-17 |
| Indonesia President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is expected to ask for an explanation over Australia's maritime security plan when he meets the Australian Defence Minister Robert Hill in Jakarta tonight. Indonesia has criticised the planned maritime security zone as intruding on jurisdiction of its own waters. After meeting Defence Minister Robert Hill yesterday, Indonesia Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirajuda said Indonesia could not accept Canberra's plan as it contradicted Indonesia's absolute sovereignty over its own waters. Today Indonesia Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono concluded a meeting with his Australian counterpart by saying the maritime security matter would be raised by President Yudhoyono when he meets Mr Hill. Senator Hill has described the issue as one of communications with ships, rather than any intrusion into another nation's jurisdiction. Australia's Defence Minister Robert Hill has defended Canberra's proposal for a new maritime zone, saying it was not an extension of jurisdiction but would give better protection to offshore oil rigs. "It is an extension of geography within which we would like to know the nature of ships that intend to either transit at Australian waters or intend to and in Australian ports," Mr Hill told reporters in Jakarta. "My understanding is that this is not in breach of any international law and Australia obviously is committed and intends to comply to all international law obligations," he said after meeting his Indonesian counterpart Juwono Sudarsono. Under the plan announced by Prime Minister John Howard on Wednesday, all ships travelling to Australia will be required to provide details on their journey and cargo if they enter the 1,000 nautical mile zone. Vessels coming within a 200 nautical mile limit of the Australian coast will also be required to give extra details on cargo, ports visited, location, course, speed and intended port of arrival. The move is similar to steps taken by the United States in dramatically raising standards of maritime security amid fears of extremist attacks on ships. Washington has called on its allies to introduce similar measures. |
| Posted by:God Save The World |