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Timor Sea lobby group skeptical of 'grinch' Downer

Timor Sea Justice Campaign Media Release - December 1, 2005

The Australian Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer, has told Parliament that officials had initiated a resource sharing agreement with East Timor that is expected to be signed at a ceremony in mid January.

The temporary resource sharing deal reportedly involves splitting royalties from the $40 billion Greater Sunrise gas field 50/50. This is up from the miserly 18 percent previously offered, but is still well short of East Timor's rightful entitlement, under current principles of International Law.

However, Timor Sea Justice Campaign co-ordinator, Tom Clarke, was skeptical about the Foreign Minister's announcement.

"We've heard a range of claims from Alexander Downer in the past, not many of which have come to fruition, so we'll see how this unfolds. Back in May, the Australian public were told that a deal with East Timor was imminent and yet every single day that has past, the theft of oil from the contested Laminaria Corallina fields has continued," Mr Clarke said.

Mr Clarke was also quick to point out that Alexander Downer promised a 'Christmas present' for East Timor last year as well.

"It's hardly in the 'Christmas spirit' to deprive the poorest country in Asia of billions of dollars and deny a sovereign state of the right to enjoy permanent maritime boundaries. Downer is sounding more like the 'Grinch who stole Christmas' to me," Mr Clarke said.

The Timor Sea Justice Campaign claims the Australian Government's greed and self-interest has resulted in a short-sighted arrangement.

"This deal is really just a band-aid solution for one particular gas field. If more petroleum resources are discovered tomorrow, it will be back to square one. Only permanent maritime boundaries will provide legal certainty to both governments and commercial interests. " Mr Clarke said.

The campaign is continuing to call for Alexander Downer to 'finish the job' by establishing permanent maritime boundaries with East Timor in accordance with International Law.

"The issues of boundaries are integral to the process of self-determination and achieving true independence, so until the East Timorese enjoy just and fair borders, their struggle will continue and their many supporters in Australia will be here to help," Mr Clarke said.

For more information or further comments, please contact:

Tom Clarke, Co-ordinator, Timor Sea Justice Campaign, Melbourne.

Mobile: 0422 545 763 Email: tom@timorseajustice.org
 

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