Philippines, Indonesia sign deal ending sea dispute

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) — After two decades of negotiations, the Philippines and Indonesia on Friday signed an agreement settling their overlapping territorial claims.

President Benigno Aquino III and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono witnessed the signing of the agreement concerning the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) boundary in the Mindanao and Celebes Seas.

The deal was signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario and Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa.

According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), a country's EEZ is an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea. It shall not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.

During their joint press conference, Aquino said the "milestone agreement" resolving the Philippines and Indonesia's overlapping claims is founded on the principles of international law, particularly the UNCLOS.

Aquino said the newly signed agreement with Indonesia is a testament that the country is committed to end territorial disputes without the use of violence.

"It serves as solid proof to our steadfast commitment to uphold the rule of law and pursue the peaceful and equitable settlement of maritime concerns," Aquino said.

The Philippines remains locked in a long-standing territorial dispute with China, which is claiming virtually the entire South China Sea.

Yudhoyono, meanwhile, said the South China Sea disputes should be resolved without the use of military force to maintain safety and stability in the region. He also called for the completion of a Code of Conduct in the contested waters.

Philippines' first maritime boundary treaty

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said the new pact is the first maritime boundary treaty of the Philippines.

Since it is a treaty, it will be ratified by President Aquino and submitted to the Senate for concurrence, according to the agency.

The DFA explained that the agreement includes the annexed charts showing the EEZ Boundary of the Philippines and Indonesia in the Mindanao Sea and Celebes Sea in the southern Philippines and in the Philippine Sea on the southern section of the Pacific Ocean.

"The EEZ boundary line defines the limits of the sea space in the southern Philippines thereby giving our fishermen and other stakeholders a clear extent of the area where they can exercise the sovereign rights over the waters as provided for by national laws and treaties including the 1982 UNCLOS," the DFA said in a statement.

The agreement will also open opportunities for closer cooperation in the preservation and protection of the rich marine environment in the area, increased trade and enhanced maritime security.

The EEZ boundary will set by the pact will also enhance the efforts of government agencies to enforce Philippine fishing, maritime and security laws.

Other agreements, people-to-people ties

Besides the agreement ending their sea disputes, the Philippines and Indonesia also signed on Friday a memorandum of understanding on higher education cooperation and a memorandum of understanding on combating international terrorism.

"Without a doubt: These agreements reflect the strong resolve of both our nations to not only deepen our bilateral engagements, but also, and more importantly, enable our peoples to be true partners in achieving prosperity," Aquino said.

The President said that he and Yudhoyono believe that strengthening bilateral cooperation is the key to fully maximizing the advantages of their countries.

He said one area where collaboration can be enhanced is people-to-people connectivity.

"We discussed efforts to develop air and sea linkages between our two countries. I believe such linkages will spur trade, accelerate SME development, and strengthen community empowerment in the Southern Philippines and in the Sulawesi region," Aquino said.

Indonesia was the 13th major trading partner of the Philippines in 2013, with a total trade of US $ 3.512 billion.

According to the DFA, there are 9,844 Filipinos in Indonesia.