JBN.CO.ID ■ The Government of Indonesia and the United States (US), agreed to increase their defense cooperation.
This was marked by the meeting of Indonesian Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, together with US Defense Secretary Mark Thomas Esper.
The two Defense Ministers held a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) Retreat and 6th ADMM-Plus, in Bangkok, Thailand on Saturday, November 16, 2019.
In this bilateral meeting, Prabowo was accompanied by Director General of Strahan Kemhan Maj. Gen. Rizerius Eko HS. This meeting was an opportunity for the Indonesian Defense Minister and the US Defense Minister to introduce themselves to each other and discuss efforts to enhance defense cooperation between the two countries.
"Bilateral meetings between the Indonesian Minister of Defense and the United States Minister of Defense discussed the defense cooperation between the two countries," Rizerius said.
According to Rizerius, the United States Secretary of Defense said that the strategic cooperation between Indonesia and America had been very strong. Therefore, in the near future the United States Minister of Defense wishes to visit Indonesia soon.
The US Defense sees the Indo Pacific region as a priority for the United States, where Indonesia also has a very important and large role.
"In the new strategic defense, the United States places the Indo Pacific region as a factor that must be considered, where there is Indonesia as a very large player in the Indo Pacific region," he said.
In this meeting, the two parties also stressed again to continue to maintain and respect the integrity of each country's sovereignty.
"Responding to the development of the situation and the challenges that are developing in the current environment, the US Defense Minister also invites Indonesia to always cooperate with the United States in all matters," he said.
In addition, the meeting also discussed a number of cooperative activities to be carried out between the United States and Indonesia, including the resumption of joint training with the Special Forces as well as joint exercises with the UN Peacekeeping Force.
On that occasion, he said, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto expressed his desire to increase cooperation in the field of education and training. Indonesia hopes to send some cadets to be able to attend education in the United States both at the Military Academy, the Naval Academy and the Air Force Academy.
"The United States Defense Minister responded to this matter very openly and was ready to accept Indonesian cadets to be able to study in the United States," said Rezerius. (**)
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