MFA Spokesman's Comments on Remarks by the Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs on Indonesia's Concreting Sand Ban

In response to press queries on remarks by Director-General (East Asia, The Pacific and Africa) of the Indonesian Department of Foreign Affairs (DEPLU) Primo Alui Joelianto that Indonesia's recent ban on the export of concreting sand was a "key way of placing more pressure" on Singapore "(to resolve differences) in extradition and some border negotiations", as reported in The Jakarta Post of 16 February 2007, the MFA Spokesman said:

"If this is indeed DEPLU's approach, it is a disappointment to us. The official reason for the ban announced last month was environmental protection. Director-General Primo's remarks lead us to wonder whether that was the main reason for the ban. Singapore had earlier expressed willingness to work with Indonesia on environmental protection, but Indonesia ignored this offer and proceeded with the ban.

The ban is now purportedly tied to ongoing negotiations between the two countries. Singapore has embarked on negotiations with Indonesia on the Extradition Treaty and border delineation in good faith on the basis of mutual benefit. On the Extradition Treaty, both Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong had agreed in Bali on 3 October 2005 that it would be in parallel and linked to the negotiation on a Defence Cooperation Agreement. Indeed, on this basis, we have made good progress on both agreements even though some difficulties remain. What is needed is political goodwill on both sides to finalise the agreements which, from Singapore's perspective, is within reach. Unilaterally making sand an additional issue with the objective of delinking the Defence Cooperation Agreement from the Extradition Treaty contravenes the earlier agreement by the two Leaders. As for the linkage to border delineation, Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo said in Parliament recently (12 February 2007) that the talks are complicated enough without this additional complication."

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
19 FEBRUARY 2007