Indonesian Navy Keeps Securing Natuna Waters: Officer

Tanjungpinang, Riau Islands (Antara Bali) - The Indonesian Navy keeps securing the Natuna waters but it has no authority to comment on the case of a Chinese Coast Guard's act of thwarting the arrest of a Chinese-flagged vessel, a navy officer said here Tuesday.

"The handling of this case has been taken over by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry," Spokesman of Tanjungpinang's Lantamal IV Naval Base Josdy Damopolii said.

The navy has no authority to comment on the Chinese Coast Guard vessel's act of intimidating Hiu 11 patrol boat while taking into custody Chinese fishing vessel, MV Kway Fey 10078, after poaching in Indonesia's Natuna waters on March 19 because commenting on the case has entered a political arena, he said.

Apart from this fishing dispute, Damopolii said the navy and other related institutions continue securing Indonesia's sovereignty of the Natuna waters but he was reluctant to elaborate the number of patrol ships deployed and their positions for security strategy.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi told reporters in Jakarta on Monday that she had she had summoned Chinese Charge d'Affaires in Jakarta, Sun Weide, to convey the fact that Chinese Coastguard vessels had thwarted the arrest of MV Kway Fey 10078.    

"We have good ties with China. We try to ensure that these good ties help facilitate respect for international laws, including Unclos 1982," she said.

At her meeting with Weide, the minister said Indonesia lodged three notes of protest.  
First, the Indonesian government has objected to the violations committed by the Chinese coastguard against the country's sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and continental shelf.

Second, the Indonesian government has raised a protest regarding violation by the Chinese coastguard against its law enforcement agencies in the EEZ and continental shelf.

Third, the Indonesian government has protested against the violation committed by the Chinese coastguard against its marine territorial sovereignty.

The minister further emphasized that Indonesia is neither a 'claimant state' in the South China Sea nor a 'claimant state' in the South China Sea dispute.

"So it (our stand) is obvious and we ask China to clarify the incident which occurred early Sunday," she said.

Earlier, the Chinese authorities had intervened in the law enforcement efforts undertaken by the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry's Hiu 11 patrol boat to seize MV Kway Fey 10078 on March 19. (WDY)