29 de agosto de 2016, 13:19Dili, Aug 29 (Prensa Latina) Former Timor Leste ” s President and guerrilla leader, Xanana Gusmao, said today his country will not rest until it regain control of its exploited seas by Australia. East Timor invoked [AP report] this “conciliation commission” in the hopes that it would put pressure on Australia to create a new, permanent maritime boundary between the two countries, giving more sea bed to East Timor than exists under current agreements with Australia.
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Speaking at the start of a United Nations Conciliation Commission hearing in The Hague on Monday, Mr Gusmao said East Timor was not seeking “favours or special treatment” but only its rights under worldwide law.
The Dili government requested a hearing at the United Nations Conciliation Commission in The Hague to discuss the maritime dispute with Canberra.
However Mr Gusmao said Australia has avoided accountability by withdrawing from global agreements. East Timor has asserted that, in light of this information, the Timor Sea Treaty [text, PDF] should be void for being negotiated in bad faith. Australia had played a quintessential role in helping East Timor to achieve independence from Indonesia, but, following claims in 2013 that Australia had previously bugged the East Timorese Cabinet leading to revenue-sharing negotiations, the relationship between the two has sullied.
In 2002 East Timor gained independence and the Timor Sea Treaty was signed, but no permanent maritime border was negotiated.
Canberra says its current treaties with the tiny state are legally binding and in full accordance with worldwide law.
Gary Quinlan, from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), said: “In addition to providing a stable revenue stream to Timor-Leste, the Timor Sea Treaties have enabled that country to benefit from Australia’s considerable expertise in offshore oil field regulation”.
He said that under CMATS both countries had committed not to bring proceedings against each other on maritime boundaries.
Australia would abide by the commission’s finding “as to whether it has jurisdiction to hear matters on maritime boundaries”.
In 2004 East Timor started negotiating with Australia again about the border.
That solution had ensured billions of dollars had flowed to East Timor from resource development in the Timor Sea. “They must now show us that they also abide by global law”. It has large reserves of oil and gas.
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The commission’s hearing is scheduled to last several days.
