Disputes - international:

Indonesia has a stated foreign policy objective of establishing
stable fixed land and maritime boundaries with all of its neighbors;
Timor-Leste-Indonesia Boundary Committee has resolved all but a
small portion of the land boundary, but discussions on maritime
boundaries are stalemated over sovereignty of the uninhabited coral
island of Pulau Batek/Fatu Sinai in the north and alignment with
Australian claims in the south; many refugees from Timor-Leste who
left in 2003 still reside in Indonesia and refuse repatriation; a
1997 treaty between Indonesia and Australia settled some parts of
their maritime boundary but outstanding issues remain; ICJ's award
of Sipadan and Ligitan islands to Malaysia in 2002 left the
sovereignty of Unarang rock and the maritime boundary in the Ambalat
oil block in the Celebes Sea in dispute; the ICJ decision has
prompted Indonesia to assert claims to and to establish a presence
on its smaller outer islands; Indonesia and Singapore continue to
work on finalization of their 1973 maritime boundary agreement by
defining unresolved areas north of Indonesia's Batam Island;
Indonesian secessionists, squatters, and illegal migrants create
repatriation problems for Papua New Guinea; piracy remains a problem
in the Malacca Strait; maritime delimitation talks continue with
Palau; Indonesian groups challenge Australia's claim to Ashmore
Reef; Australia has closed parts of the Ashmore and Cartier Reserve
to Indonesian traditional fishing and placed restrictions on certain
catches

Refugees and internally displaced persons:

IDPs: 200,000-350,000 (government offensives against rebels in Aceh;
most IDPs in Aceh, Central Kalimantan, Central Sulawesi Provinces,
and Maluku) (2007)

Illicit drugs:

illicit producer of cannabis largely for domestic use; producer of
methamphetamine and ecstasy

This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008

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@Iran

Introduction
Iran

Background:

Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979
after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forced
into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic
system of government with ultimate political authority vested in a
learned religious scholar referred to commonly as the Supreme Leader
who, according to the constitution, is accountable only to