MALAYSIA-BRUNEI BOUNDARY ISSUES FORMALISED

From Hafizah Kamaruddin

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN, March 16 (Bernama) -- Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah
Ahmad Badawi and Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah of Brunei formalised the
solution to the long-standing Malaysia-Brunei boundary issues Monday by signing
the landmark Letters of Exchange here.

The historic occasion, which took place at Istana Nurul Iman, was
witnessed by both countries' delegations including Malaysian Foreign MinisterDr
Rais Yatim and Brunei's Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Prince Mohamed
Bolkiah and Second Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Pehin Lim Jock Seng.

Present was the Crown Prince of Brunei, Prince Al-Muhtadee Billah.

Sarawak Chief Minister Abdul Taib Mahmud, Sabah Chief Minister Musa Aman and
Education Minister Hishammuddin Tun Hussein also
attended the function.

The outstanding border issues, which include the border demarcation in
Limbang, Sarawak, and maritime matters such as the dispute over an oil field and
the exclusive economic zone off the Borneo coast, have been intently pursued for
the last six years by officials from both countries which met 39 times before
the solution was accepted.

Rais on Sunday said that the letters contained several principles of
cooperation to be implemented in the surveying and demarcation of the land and
maritime borders and technical committees would be set up to finalise the
details on the boundary issues between both countries.

Earlier, Abdullah had a four-eye meeting with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah which
expected to discuss issues of common interest to strengthen bilateral relations
and cooperation in various sectors.

-- BERNAMA