Treaty between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia establishing an Exclusive Economic Zone Boundary and Certain Seabed Boundaries |
| Date: | 14 March 1997 | |
| Sub Category: | Treaty (International) |
| Place: | Timor Sea between East Timor and Australia |
| State/Country: | East Timor and Australia |
| Subject Matter: | Economic Development |
| Summary Information: | |
| The Treaty between the Government of Australia and the Government of the Republic of Indonesia establishing an Exclusive Economic Zone Boundary and Certain Seabed Boundaries was signed on the 14 March 1997. Based on international law set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (December 1982) Australia and Indonesia agreed upon an exclusive economic zone and water column boundary that includes parts of the Timor Sea. Basically they agreed to adopt a median line between the two coasts (Brennan, 2004:28). However, the Treaty, based on the median line principle, does not affect the position adopted in the 1972 and 1989 Treaties, respectively, based on the continental shelf principle of the 1958 Geneva Convention. |
| Detailed Information: | |
| Both parties agreed that this 1997 water column boundary and exclusive economic zone treaty has no effect on the 1972 Permanent Seabed Boundary Treaty and on the 1989 Zone of Cooperation Treaty known as the Timor Gap Treaty (sea map). This 1997 treaty allowed both parties to exercise their respective fishing rights and maritime scientific research rights within the agreed water column boundaries with a mutual obligation to respect the rights of each party. The treaty did not enter into force due to (1) the downfall of the Suharto’s regime in May 1998, (2) the separation of East Timor from the Republic of Indonesia in 1999 and (3) East Timor being under the Transitional Administration of the United Nations from 25 October 1999 to 20 May 2002. | |
