Malaysia and Indonesia say they will not withdraw their warships from a standoff in the Sulawesi Sea, but that both sides have agreed not to stage any shows of force.
In a joint news conference with visiting Indonesian Vice-President Jusuf Kalla Friday, Malaysia's Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said there is no need for either navy to withdraw as long as there are no shows of military strength that could provoke an incident.
Indonesian and Malaysian warships have been on station in the Sulawesi Sea as a result of charges of trespassing and maritime border violations. A minor collision between two vessels a month ago heightened tension in the area.
Both southeast Asian countries rely heavily on oil and gas revenues and have awarded offshore exploration contracts in the disputed area.
Some information for this report provided by AP, Reuters.
