East Timor border dispute panel meets

Australia

was to argue that an arbitration body due to meet in The Hague yesterday has no jurisdiction to settle a dispute with East Timor over their maritime boundary, officials said.

East Timor, a tiny nation whose economy depends heavily on oil and gas exports, has been demanding that Australia renegotiate the border which cuts through lucrative oil and gas fields in the Timor Sea. Foreign Minister Julie Bishop confirmed Australia would take part in the meeting of the conciliation commission. (AFP)