What are the implications for Australias relationship with Indonesia?
The negotiations between East Timor and Australia are bilateral and do not involve Indonesia in anyway. East Timor has separate treaties for their maritime boundaries with Indonesia, which they are also currently negotiating. Likewise, Australia also has a separate treaty with Indonesia about their maritime boundaries, which can only be altered with the consent of both Australia and Indonesia. Neither country is able to unilaterally pull out of this treaty. A line often mentioned in articles about this issue, is that changes to East Timor’s maritime boundaries will automatically effect Australia’s boundaries with Indonesia. This is simply not the case.
