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KOTA KINABALU, Malaysia - Malaysia and Indonesia Monday moved to calm a maritime border dispute which has sparked angry protests, with their foreign ministers agreeing to take action to prevent a repeat incident.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Anifah Aman met his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa in eastern Sabah state after last month's incident where Malaysian fishermen and Indonesian officials were detained in disputed waters.
In the ensuing protest, human faeces was flung at the Malaysian embassy in Jakarta, forcing security at the Malaysian mission to be stepped up.
"Both nations agreed that preventive measures will be required to prevent a recurrence of the August 13 incident, and appropriate action will be taken to resolve various maritime border issues," the two ministers said.
"Two technical meetings will be held before the end of the year," they said in a joint statement after the meeting held in Sabah in the Malaysian part of Borneo, a vast island shared with Indonesia.
Last month, seven Malaysian fishermen were detained in disputed waters off southern Malaysia by Indonesian authorities who accused them of encroaching into their territory.
Three of the Indonesian officials were detained by Malaysian maritime authorities who intercepted the group as they were being taken back to Indonesia.
All those involved have been released, but the spat saw both countries send protest notes to each other.
The meetings aimed at resolving the intractable maritime border issue will be held in Kuala Lumpur in October and in Jakarta in November.
Malaysia said last week that if there was no resolution, the border dispute could end up in the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
- AFP /ls
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