Indonesia sends F16 jets to Malaysia border
JAKARTA (Indonesia) - Indonesia has sent four F-16 fighter jets to
a disputed border region with Malaysia while President Susilo
Bambang Yudhoyono plans to visit the area that includes an offshore
oil field both countries claim, officials said on Sunday.
The mix of saber rattling and diplomacy is the latest sign that
tensions over the area in the Sulawesi Sea are rising between the
two countries. Indonesia complained on Friday that four Malaysian
military aircraft had violated its airspace in the area in the last
10 days, amid reports that Indonesia has deployed warships in the
waters near the oil fields.
The International Court of Justice handed Malaysia sovereignty over
the region's Sipadan and Ligitan islands in 2002.
But Indonesia claims Malaysia's water territory only extends 19km
from the islands. However, Malaysia has awarded oil production
sharing contracts to Royal Dutch/Shell Group in deep waters near
the islands - a move protested by Indonesia.
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono would visit the
island of Sebatik along the border on Monday as part of a trip to
East Kalimantan. -- AP
