The Treaty of Demarcation and Exchange of Some Portuguese and Dutch Possessions in the Archipelago of Solor and Timor (Portuguese: Tratado de Demarcação e Troca de Algumas Possessões Portuguesas e Neerlandesas no Arquipélago de Solor e Timor) was a treaty signed between the Kingdom of Portugal (then ruled by Dom Pedro V) and the Netherlands (ruled by William III), on 20 April 1859, which demarcated the border between the colonies of the two kingdoms in the Indonesian Archipelago.

They were represented as plenipotentiaries on the Portuguese side by António Maria de Fontes Pereira de Melo, then Minister of Internal Affairs of the Kingdom of Portugal, and on the Dutch side by Maurits Jan Heldewier, chargé d'affaires of the Netherlands.^[1]

By this treaty, Portugal ceded Larantuca, Sicca and Paga on the island of Flores, Wouré on the island of Adonara, and Pamung Kaju on the island of Solor. In return, the Netherlands ceded the kingdoms of Maubara and Ambeno, both on the island of Timor, as well the island of Ataúro. The treaty was ratified on 18 August 1860.

Treaty articles

The treaty, written in French and translated into Portuguese, contained the following articles:^[1]

1. sets the boundaries between Portuguese and Dutch possessions on the Island of Timor;
2. recognition of the sovereignty of each Kingdom over its possessions;
3. sets the limits of Oecusse (or Oikoussi);
4. Portugal's recognition of the sovereignty of the Netherlands in the western part of Timor;
5. ceding to Portugal of Maubara and Ambeno, who already "fly the Portuguese flag";
6. the Netherlands gives up any claim to the island of Ataúro;
7. Portugal cedes Larantuca, Sicca and Paga on the island of Flores; on Adonara Island, the state of Wouré and on Solor Island, the state of Pamang Kaju;
8. the Netherlands comes into full possession of the above territories;
9. in compensation, the Netherlands gives a discharge of 80 thousand florins borrowed in 1851 and should pay another 120 thousand florins, delivered a month after the ratification of the treaty;
10. freedom of worship in the exchanged territories is guaranteed;
11. the treaty should be submitted to the parliaments of the respective kingdoms for exchange of ratifications, to be carried out in Lisbon.

References