RI, Malaysian governments to meet Oct. 10 over disputed oil areas

The Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will meet with its Malaysian counterpart in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 10-12 to seek ways to settle dispute over territorial claim in the East Ambalat oil block and nearby oil fields in the East Kalimantan area.

The Malaysian government claimed ownership of the East Ambalat and surrounding areas, and has planned to offer the oil block to investors through its state owned oil and gas company Petronas.

But the Indonesian government insisted that the oil blocks are located in the Indonesian territory, and also plans.

On Thursday, the Kompas daily quoted Director of Exploration and Production of the Directorate General of Oil and Gas Novian Thaib the East Ambalat block and nearby oil fields have been managed by the Indonesian government in cooperation with several foreign oil companies since 1967.

Novian Thaib said in Jakarta on Wednesday that the Bunyu block, located near the East Ambalat block had been operated by Total Indonesia since 1967.

In addition to Total, BP has also operated North East Kalimantan offshore block since 1970, Hudson Bunyu also at the Bunyu block since 1983, Eni Bukat at Bukat block since 1968 and Eni Ambalat at the Ambalat block since 1999.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro said that the government would continue to offer other blocks in the area to investors despite the Malaysian claim. (*)