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Indonesia agrees to free most fishermen

By Hou Lei (chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2009-07-02 11:54

Indonesia has agreed to free most of the 75 captured Chinese fishermen following talks between the two countries.

Related readings:  Indonesia told to release 75 Chinese fishermen  China demands fishermen's release from Indonesia  China vows to further co-op with Indonesia

Indonesia will hold on to the captains and chief engineers, the Beijing News reported Thursday. Indonesia took the fishermen into custody on June 20. About 50 men will be released first, according to the paper.

The story doesn’t say when the rest fishermen will be freed.

Indonesia seized eight Chinese vessels and the seventy-five fishermen on board when the boats were in a "traditional fishing area" in waters around China's Nansha Islands.

The captains and chief engineers of the captured vessels will be prosecuted and the vessels will be confiscated by Indonesia, the paper said.

China's Vice Premier Li Keqiang met with visiting Indonesian Foreign Minister Hasan Wirayuda in Beijing Wednesday afternoon. Li said "China and Indonesia are strategic partners,” the official Xinhua News Agency reported.