A key concern for Australia in the Timor Sea delimitation context appears
to be geopolitical. The Australian authorities have exhibited concern that
agreeing to an equidistance line-based boundary with East Timor may somehow
have a knock-on effect on its existing maritime boundaries with Indonesia.
In legal terms it would seem highly unlikely that such an Australian-East Timorese
accord would jeopardise the earlier Australia-Indonesia agreements, because
boundary treaties, once concluded, are final and binding. Consequentially they
are not subject to change save through agreement by all parties concerned.
Nevertheless, Mr. Alexander Downer’s comment that Australia has no wish to
“unscramble the omelette” of all its previously agreed boundaries with neigh-bouring states seems to be indicative of Australian political sensitivities.