(English version) Agreement between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea concerning Maritime Boundaries between the Two Countries and Cooperation on Related Matters on 13 December 1980

Country: Indonesia, Papua New Guinea

Sea: Arafura Sea

Scope: Bilateral

Document Language: English

*This Agreement was signed between the Government of Papua New Guinea and of Indonesia in 1980 after the former had become an independent nation and ceased to be an UN-trusted territory under Australian administration in 1975. 

**In this Agreement, Article 1 clarifies that the term “continental shelf” is used in accordant with International Law, and bears the same meaning as the term “seabed” used in the Seabed Boundary Agreement between Australia and Indonesia in 1971, 1972, 1973 relating to the “seabed” boundary between the two countries, which includes the boundary between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. 

  • Summary

This legal document contains the Agreement between the Government of the Republic of Indonesia and the Government of Papua New Guinea concerning Maritime Boundaries between the Two Countries and Cooperation on Related Matters, signed on 13 December 1980.

Article 2 of this Agreement, in order to further the continental shelf boundary between Indonesia and Papua New Guinea off the Northern Coast of the two countries from the groundwork (point C1 and C2) provided in Article 4 of the 1971 Australia-Indonesia Seabed Boundary Agreement, establishes point C3, C4, and C5. Their coordinates are specified in the same Article.

Article 4 of this 1980 Agreement also clarifies that the continental shelf boundary (or seabed boundary) between the two countries provided in Article 2 of this 1980 Agreement, in Article 1, 3, and 4 of the 1972 Australia-Indonesia Seabed Boundary Agreement, and in Article 3 of the 1973 Australia-Indonesia Seabed Boundary Agreement shall be both the continental shelf boundary and Exclusive Economic Zone boundary between the two countries.

Boundary with point C1-2 as in Article 4 of the 1971 Australia-Indonesia Agreement
Boundary as in Article 2 of this 1980 Agreement