The Story Of Deputy Foreign Minister Havas Assisted By The Late Hasjim Djalal Ahead Of Negotiations With The Philippine Senior Diplomat

Indonesian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Airf Havas Oegroseno. (VOI/AFI)

JAKARTA - Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia, Havas Oegroseno, assessed that there was no figure who could replace the late Hasjim Djalal, an international Indonesian marine law expert whom he considered a teacher where he studied international marine law.

Speaking in the dialogue forum "The Preparation of Strategic Steps Continues Prof.'s Thoughts. Hasjim Djalal Related to the Law of the Sea" held by the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta, Deputy Foreign Minister Havas recalled one of his unforgettable experiences with the late Hasjim.

Deputy Foreign Minister Arif Havas Oegroseno recalled when the Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs at that time, Hassan Wirajuda asked him to negotiate maritime boundaries with the Philippines in December 2023.

Just appointed as director at the time, Havas said he was not aware of marine law, how to negotiate maritime boundaries and had never led maritime limit negotiations, when instructed to negotiate.

"My partner is Ambassador (Alberto) Encominda, chief Philippines negotiator for UNCLOS III, he led the Philippine delegation for 20 years, his friend Mr. Hasjim, I am very afraid to face him," he recalled at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tuesday, February 25.

Deputy Foreign Minister Havas continued, he also received assistance from Hasjim who directly called the Philippine diplomat.

"My son will come to your house. He still doesn't understand, so, guide him," recalls Deputy Foreign Minister Havas imitating the words of the late Hasjim at the time.

"It's true, when I got there, the Indonesian delegation and I received very good treatment and then finally Alhamdulillah, we have maritime boundaries with the Philippines which later became one of the longest maritime boundaries in the world," said Deputy Foreign Minister Havas.

"That's one of my experiences. If it's legalized, all my knowledge about marine law comes from Mr. Hasjim, it doesn't come from anything else, I don't know anything about marine law, I learned everything from Mr. Hasjim," he added.

Deputy Foreign Minister Havas said Hasjim was the main architect who fought for Indonesia's interests in the 1982 Marine Law Convention. What he did together with Mochtar Kusumaatmadja was considered extraordinary, because he changed the international law that was formulated by colonial forces.

"Because of international law, which took effect in 1968 is an international law that does not recognize an archipelagic country," he explained.

Deputy Foreign Minister Hafas said that the death of Hasjim was not only a loss for Indonesia, but also international circles in the fields of marine law and international law.

"There is no replacement for Mr. Hasjim," he said.

"If I use the criteria for marine law experts, there are two marine law experts who participate in the sea law convention negotiations, and marine law experts who study marine law outside the negotiation process.

The second expert, learning marine law outside the negotiation process, he said a lot.

"But, if you are a marine law expert and participate in marine law negotiations, only Mr. Mochtar, Mr. Hasjim, and Mr. Adi Sumardiman from the Indonesian Navy, there are none (of them)," he explained.

"In the whole world, there is only one professor from the United States, one more Professor Tommy Koh (Singapore)," he concluded.