Meeting Australian Minister of Defense, Prabowo Discusses Maritime Defense Cooperation
Meeting Australian Minister of Defense, Prabowo Discusses Maritime Defense Cooperation
Minister of Defense (Menhan) Prabowo Subianto met Australian Minister of Defense Linda Reynolds in Nusa Dua, Bali, Friday (6/12/2019). The bilateral meeting took place before the 6th Indonesia
Australia Foreign and Defense Ministers’ 2+2 Meeting forum which was also held in Nusa Dua, Bali. Apart from discussing the achievements of cooperation that have been carried out so far, at the Indonesia-Australia Defense Ministers’ Meeting forum, various efforts to increase defense cooperation, especially in the maritime sector, were also discussed.
Prabowo said that there were a number of illegal activities that often occurred in maritime areas that required joint attention from both countries.
These include piracy, robbery, human trafficking, drug smuggling and illegal fishing. “The development of bilateral defense cooperation between Indonesia and Australia has been well established through dialogue forums, education and training, joint exercises and visits by officials from both countries,”
said Prabowo in a written statement from the Ministry of Defense, Friday (6/12/2019). “To overcome these challenges (in the maritime sector), there is no other choice but to work together,” said the former Commander General of Kopassus. Prabowo added that this bilateral meeting also provided a more strategic meaning for bilateral relations between Indonesia and Australia, especially in the field of defense cooperation.
Because, as two neighboring countries, it is very important for Indonesia and Australia to build and strengthen bilateral cooperative relations, including cooperation in the defense sector.
Prabowo assessed that for more than half a century, defense cooperation between Indonesia and Australia has been well established, very productive and mutually beneficial for both countries in many ways.
Meanwhile, the Australian Minister of Defense said Indonesia is a very important partner for Australia. For this reason, Australia wants the good relations between the two countries that have been closely intertwined to continue to be improved based on the broader common interests of the two countries.
“Australia values Australia’s close relationship with Indonesia as a comprehensive and strategic partnership,” said the Australian Defense Minister. Furthermore, the Australian Minister of Defense appreciated the increase and development of defense cooperation between Indonesia and Australia which has been closely intertwined and has increased significantly from year to year.
Increased defense cooperation has made a major contribution to closer relations between the two countries. “We appreciate the great contribution of cooperation in the defense sector to improving bilateral relations between the two countries,” said the Australian Minister of Defense.
