SINGAPORE : Singapore and Malaysia have accepted the
recommendations of a group of experts who were tasked to study
Singapore's reclamation activities off Tuas and Pulau Tekong.
The issue had prompted Malaysia to ask for a stop work order at the
International Tribunal on the Law of the Seas (ITLOS) in July
2003.
But now, both governments have agreed to use the recommendations as
the basis to come to a mutually acceptable and beneficial
solution.
At the height of the dispute in 2003, Malaysia claimed that the
reclamation off Tuas violated its territorial waters.
It also alleged that the work off Pulau Tekong was damaging
Malaysia's beaches and harming its fisheries.
Malaysia asked for a stop work order and for the matter to go
before arbitration.
When both sides appeared before the International Tribunal of the
Law of the Seas, the tribunal declared on 8 October 2003 that
Singapore could continue its reclamation works at Tuas and Pulau
Tekong.
But the tribunal proposed that both countries set up a group of
experts to study the impact of the reclamation, and called for a
report within a year.
The two governments received the final report from the experts last
November .
Their negotiating teams had two meetings, one in December in
Singapore and the second earlier this month at the Hague, where
both countries said very good progress was made, resulting in an
agreement.
The two delegations also appeared before the tribunal at the Hague
on January 10 to brief the judges on the progress of their
consultations.
There are still two more steps that have to be cleared before the
tribunal set up to hear the land reclamation matter is
disbanded.
These are submitting the draft settlement agreement to the
respective governments for approval and finally putting the all
important signatures on the agreement.
Political observers say the good atmosphere prevailing between the
Malaysian and Singapore governments had a beneficial impact on the
way the negotiations have proceeded, resulting in a fair and
balanced outcome.
Both sides hope to sign the agreement within the next few
weeks.
The joint statement also says that the two governments agree that
the waters in the straits of Johor constitute a shared water body
and there is a common interest to cooperate to ensure the safety of
navigation in the straits.
Both sides also have a common interest to protect the environment
like monitoring the water quality and addressing any adverse
impacts if necessary.
All this will be done through existing mechanisms among them, the
Malaysia-Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment.
The joint statement adds that the positive outcome of the meeting
between the two delegations reflects the goodwill and cooperation
which exists between the two sides and their governments.
This augurs well for the further strengthening of good relations
between the two close and friendly neighbours. - CNA