Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sugiono, has stated that Indonesia will not impose tariffs in the Malacca Strait, as such a policy would be inconsistent with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).He made the statement during a brief interview here on Thursday in response to journalists’ questions about whether Indonesia would introduce tariffs for vessels passing through the strait.Sugiono emphasized that Indonesia respects international law, including UNCLOS. According to him, UNCLOS recognizes Indonesia as an archipelagic state on the condition that it does not impose tariffs on straits within its territory.He also stressed that Indonesia supports freedom of navigation and expects maritime traffic to remain smooth, open, and mutually beneficial.“We also hope for free passage, and I believe this is a shared commitment among many countries to create a shipping lane that is open, neutral, and mutually supportive,” Sugiono said.“So, no. Indonesia is not in a position to impose such tariffs in the Malacca Strait,” he affirmed.Earlier, Finance Minister Purbaya Sadewa had mentioned the possibility of imposing tariffs on ships passing through the strait. On Wednesday (April 22), Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan in an interview said that countries along the Malacca Strait have a strategic interest in keeping the waterway open.“The right of transit passage is guaranteed for everyone. We will not participate in any attempts to close or interdict or to impose tolls in our neighborhood,” Balakrishnan said.The Malacca Strait is one of the world’s recognized international shipping lanes, as stipulated under Articles 37, 38, and 39 of UNCLOS, which has been ratified by Indonesia.