Singapore-Jakarta deal on extradition, defence pacts

PM Lee, Yudhoyono to witness signing of agreements in Bali on Friday

The Straits Times, April 24, 2007
By Lynn Lee & Aaron Low


BOOST FOR TIES: Mr Yeo (back to camera) hugs his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda after the agreement was announced. Mr Yeo said 'the talks were characterised by a high degree of cooperation, friendship, flexibility and goodwill'.




SINGAPORE and Indonesia have reached agreement on an extradition treaty and defence cooperation pact, after about two years of negotiations.

They will be inked in Bali on Friday by the Foreign Affairs and Defence ministers of both countries.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who meet on the Indonesian resort island for a summit, will witness the signings.

News that both sides had agreed on all remaining issues came at a late-night press conference here yesterday chaired by Foreign Minister George Yeo and his Indonesian counterpart Hassan Wirajuda.

Dr Hassan, Indonesian Defence Minister Juwono Sudarsono and military chief Djoko Suyanto flew in from Jakarta in the morning to conclude discussions that had, until then, been handled by senior officials.

Details of the two agreements were not disclosed but are expected to be released at Friday's signing.

Indonesia has said previously that an extradition pact is crucial in its fight against corruption and would pave the way for going after Indonesians allegedly involved in graft cases who fled the country. The Defence Cooperation Agreement was proposed to restore defence cooperation after Indonesia froze the use of a joint military training area in 2003.

Ministers and officials were visibly pleased with the outcome of the negotiations, which had been described as having been a long and arduous process.

There were smiles and hugs all round at the press conference here, which was also attended by Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean and Singapore Chief of Defence Force Desmond Kuek.

A final round of discussions among officials, which began on Sunday, led up to the agreement. Said Mr Yeo: 'The talks were characterised by a high degree of cooperation, friendship, flexibility and goodwill. And because goodwill was in ample supply on both sides, we were able to reach a good agreement,' he said.

Dr Hassan agreed: 'These are important agreements, and from the very begining, the two sides were determined to reach an agreement, as we have proven today.

'This is not only the result of hard work, but also a determination to work together as friends and neighbours. There has been a lot of goodwill and cooperation from both sides to give and take, that has led to this excellent conclusion.'

He added: 'Indonesia and Singapore are good neighbours, and we are determined to expand and deepen our bilateral relations.'

PM Lee and Dr Yudhoyono had agreed in Bali in October 2005 that the extradition treaty and defence cooperation pact be discussed in parallel.

Negotiations on the extradiction treaty had already begun in January 2005, and officials have held 11 rounds of talks since then. The talks on the defence agreement began in October 2005, and a total of eight rounds of talks had been held since then.

Mr Yeo said officials from both sides did 'very good work in bridging the gaps and crystallising the final issues'. There was also a spirit of compromise, he said, adding that both agreements would 'help us lay a strong foundation for further cooperation in the future'.

He also detailed what would follow after the agreements are signed.

The chiefs of the army, navy and air forces of both sides would meet two weeks after that to sign implementation agreements.

On the Indonesian side, both the extradiction and defence agreements will have to be ratified by its Parliament before coming into force.