BORDER REDEMARCATION TO RESOLVE MALAYSIA-BRUNEI BORDER ISSUES

KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 (Bernama) -- The redemarcation of the Malaysia-Brunei border will be carried out to resolve various border issues including that of Limbang, Foreign Minister Dr Rais Yatim said Thursday.

He said the issue of Limbang would be regarded as resolved once the exchange
of border agreements signed by both countries was finalised.

Dr Rais made these comments in response to an article in The Borneo Bulletin
and the Brunei Times on the status of Limbang.

He said Limbang was not mentioned in recent discussions on land boundaries
between both countries but the general view was that when the five existing
historical agreements between both sides were signed and implemented in future,
then all border issues would have been resolved.

"We cannot dispute what they (Brunei) perceive but for us we will
acknowledge
the exchange of the documents in accordance with the contents, we will respect
and we will follow up on the five agreements which have been signed between 1920
and 1939," he said.

"(The word) Limbang was not mentioned in the documents. It was the
perception that when the matter of the five agreements are resolved, the issue
of Limbang will also be resolved ... there have been several interpretations.

"... what is important is that Malaysia-Brunei relations are close and we
are not influenced by any political statement made by both sides," he told
reporters after officiating at the presentation of cheques to non-governmental
organisations for the Palestinian People's Humanitarian Assistance Programme,
here.

Dr Rais earlier opened a two-day course on basic security training for
Malaysian taskforce personnel in conflict zones.

Also present at the event was Rosmah Mansor, wife of the deputy
prime minister, who presented donations of RM11 million from the Malaysian
people to 13 non-governmental organisations for the humanitarian assistance
programme.

-- BERNAMA