DILI, 26 july 2022 (TATOLI)—The President of the Republic of Timor-Leste, José Ramos Horta informed that in August this year, Timor-Leste’s Chief of Negotiator on the Delimitation of Sea Border, Xanana Gusmão will visit Indonesian to discuss the continuation of the border between the two countries, Indonesia and Timor-Leste.
“Xanana Gusmão will visit Indonesia in August this year. They will discuss the agreement for the land border with his Indonesian counterpart,” said Presiden Horta after returning from Indonesia, this Monday.
Horta explained that Timor-Leste and Indonesia have been negotiating the finalization of their land boundaries for many years however, the discussion between the two countries had previously been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic and had a temporary agreement regarding the borders of the two countries.
Previously, the Ambassador of the Republic of Indonesia (RI) to Timor-Leste (TL), Okto Dorinus Manik ensured that the continuation of the discussion on the borders of the two countries would be settled this year.
Between the two countries, there are still two undetermined segments regarding land borders, namely in Oé-Cusse, with the Bidjael Sunan-Oben and NoelBesi Citrana areas (the area between Oé-Cusse and the province of West Timor, in Indonesia).
Noelbesi Citrana is the border area between Kupang and Ambeno (Oé-Cusse), while Bidjael Sunan-Oben is the border between North Central Timor and Oé-Cusse), with an area of 142.7 hectares.
It was also mentioned that in 2019, the Timor-Leste border negotiation team led by Xanana Gusmão met with the former Coordinating Minister for Political and Judicial Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Wiranto, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Retno Marsudi.
At that time, a memorandum of agreement was signed to complete the land border delimitation.
Journalist: José Belarmino De Sá
Editor: Nelia B.
