Kuala Lumpur (ANTARA News) - Indonesia will ask Malaysia to return the control of its Flight Information Region (FIR) over Natuna Island as a form of Indonesia`s sovereignty over its air space.
"This is one of the topics of discussion between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi in Kuala Lumpur in December 2007," Air Transportation Attache at the Indonesian Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Sahar Andika Putra, said here on Thursday.
The FIR over Natuna Island was previously under the control of Singapore and Malaysia under the Asia-Pacific Regional Air Navigation (RAN) agreement reached in Honolulu in 1973.
Under the agreement, Singapore would control air traffic at altitudes of over 20,000 feet over Natuna Island, and below 20,000 feet over Malaysia.
Since 1995, Singapore was prepared to return the FIR control to Indonesia, but Malaysia was reluctant to do the same, although Indonesia has proposed a revised draft on the FIR in 1999 and 2004.
"The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) will approve the draft on the FIR over Natuna if Singapore and Malaysia agreed to it," Sahar said.
He said that the ICAO was merely thinking flight safety. "Singapore has agreed, but we are still waiting for a Malaysian response. Because it concerns Indonesia`s sovereignty, President Yudhoyono will discuss the matter in a meeting with the Malaysian premier," Sahar added.
It seems that Malsysia is not yet prepared to discuss the FIR control over Natuna Island as it concerns a legal regime agreement reached in 1982.
"Indonesia wants the FIR control over the island restored to it, because so far its commercial and military flights through its own air space over the area must be reported to Malaysia`s control tower," he said.
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