Jeju, NU Online
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he would not accept any compromise on the Indonesia-Malaysia border in the Ambalat block because the area clearly belongs to Indonesia.
"We cannot accept Malaysia`s claim over the Ambalat waters because we believe they are part of Indonesian territory. We will defend every inch of our land or waters and in this matter there will never be a compromise or tolerance. This is the bottom line," he said before leaving Jeju to return home on Tuesday.<>
However, he said, to defend national sovereignty over Ambalat, it was not necessary to declare war, especially because Indonesia and Malaysia were both members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and as such were bound by the Asean Charter.
"There are diplomatic ways we can pursue to arrive at a peaceful solution. So do not engage in rhetoric or campaigns to call for war just to appear heroic," he said.
President Yudhoyono said the two countries were continuing to adhere to a peaceful approach to the border problem while Indonesia had also urged the immediate continuation of intensive negotiations on it.
"So I repeat that our position is clear and that the area is part of our territory and we cannot accept any claim of ownership on it. We keep safeguarding the region and we also continue negotiating," he said.
The President said since the problem emerged two years ago he had already instructed the military (TNI) to continue conducting security patrols in the region to check whether or not there were Malaysian ships there.
"Six warships and three aircraft from the Navy are currently deployed there. Probably Malaysian ships are conducting patrols in the area because they claim it is theirs. However. as soon as they enter our territory we must definitely drive them away and that is what we did yesterday," he was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.
Yudhoyono said Malaysian warships should not have committed border violations as discussions on the problem had already reached ministerial level.
"In the case of a violation of our sovereignty there will be no compromise," he said.
"We could seek right approaches when dealing with dispute over properties such as songs, batik and "reog" (traditional dance) with Malaysia and Singapore but in the case of sovereignty there will be no such thing. Sovereignty is sovereignty and it is about the state`s existence no matter whether we are close neighbours or brothers," he said. (dar)
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he would not accept any compromise on the Indonesia-Malaysia border in the Ambalat block because the area clearly belongs to Indonesia.
"We cannot accept Malaysia`s claim over the Ambalat waters because we believe they are part of Indonesian territory. We will defend every inch of our land or waters and in this matter there will never be a compromise or tolerance. This is the bottom line," he said before leaving Jeju to return home on Tuesday.<>
However, he said, to defend national sovereignty over Ambalat, it was not necessary to declare war, especially because Indonesia and Malaysia were both members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and as such were bound by the Asean Charter.
"There are diplomatic ways we can pursue to arrive at a peaceful solution. So do not engage in rhetoric or campaigns to call for war just to appear heroic," he said.
President Yudhoyono said the two countries were continuing to adhere to a peaceful approach to the border problem while Indonesia had also urged the immediate continuation of intensive negotiations on it.
"So I repeat that our position is clear and that the area is part of our territory and we cannot accept any claim of ownership on it. We keep safeguarding the region and we also continue negotiating," he said.
The President said since the problem emerged two years ago he had already instructed the military (TNI) to continue conducting security patrols in the region to check whether or not there were Malaysian ships there.
"Six warships and three aircraft from the Navy are currently deployed there. Probably Malaysian ships are conducting patrols in the area because they claim it is theirs. However. as soon as they enter our territory we must definitely drive them away and that is what we did yesterday," he was quoted by Antara news agency as saying.
Yudhoyono said Malaysian warships should not have committed border violations as discussions on the problem had already reached ministerial level.
"In the case of a violation of our sovereignty there will be no compromise," he said.
"We could seek right approaches when dealing with dispute over properties such as songs, batik and "reog" (traditional dance) with Malaysia and Singapore but in the case of sovereignty there will be no such thing. Sovereignty is sovereignty and it is about the state`s existence no matter whether we are close neighbours or brothers," he said. (dar)
