Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer accused East Timor yesterday of trying to stir up sympathy over its claims for a greater share of oil and gas revenues from the Timor Sea oil reserves.
The two countries are in dispute over the seabed boundary between the two countries, the drawing of which divides control of an estimated US$22 billion in royalties from the oil and gas deposits.
"The tactic here is to try to create public controversy in Australia by a lot of emotive criticism of Australia," he said.
Downer said Australia had been incredibly generous to East Timor, but that Australia would stand by its rights.
Australia wants East Timor to honor an agreement signed last year covering the disputed multi-billion dollar Greater Sunrise field, which the former Indonesian province has so far refused.
East Timor regards the Timor Sea revenue as a lifeline that can end the fledgling nation's dependence on international aid.
Australia wants to keep the maritime border agreed with Jakarta after Indonesia invaded East Timor in 1975.
But Dili argues that Jakarta only agreed to that deal in exchange for Canberra's recognition of its illegal annexation of East Timor and the border should lie at the mid-point between the two countries, in line with standard international practice.
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