Military training: Talks ongoing on changes sought by Jakarta

The Straits Times, May 22, 2007
by Zakir Hussain


INDONESIA has asked to vary detailed military training arrangements under a defence cooperation pact, and discussions are ongoing, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean told Parliament yesterday.

He was explaining the delay in signing the documents detailing these arrangements, in response to questions from Ms Irene Ng (Tampines GRC).

They were to have been signed on May 7 in Jakarta by the respective chiefs of the armies, navies and air forces of the two countries.

Mr Teo's comments come days after the Defence Ministry confirmed the delay, saying the signing was 'postponed due to unexpected difficulties'.

The three service-level Implementing Arrangements touch on specific areas of cooperation between the armies, air forces and navies.

They spell out the implementation details of a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) that both countries inked with an Extradition Treaty in Bali on April 27.

The signing was witnessed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.

Said Mr Teo: 'We discussed whether to sign all the agreements together on April 27. The Indonesians requested for the three arrangements to be signed on a separate date, May 7.'

But both sides were unable to reach agreement by then.

On the three arrangements, Mr Teo said: 'Indonesia has asked for some variations to the various agreements and we have conveyed to them our views on these matters.'

'We are still in discussions, so I would rather not get into any details on this matter,' he added.

Earlier, Mr Teo had stressed the importance of the defence pact, saying it would 'allow us to strengthen the strategic relationship between the Singapore Armed Forces and TNI which goes back more than 30 years.'

TNI is the acronym for the Indonesian Armed Forces.

He added that the DCA would promote closer interaction and inter-operability between the two armed forces, enabling them to work effectively together in times of need.

Senior Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Zainul Abidin Rasheed also touched on the extradition treaty, which has long been a bone of contention in bilateral relations.

Replying to questions from Ms Ng and Ms Lee Bee Wah (Ang Mo Kio GRC), Mr Zainul said the treaty and the DCA contained 'a carefully negotiated balance of benefits', describing them as 'good for both countries'.

The extradition treaty, he said, would strengthen Singapore's cooperation with Indonesia in tackling crime and other offences, including acts of terrorism, in accordance with the domestic laws of each country.

He noted that relations between the two countries would enter a new phase when the agreements come into force, 'but this does not mean that there will be no more bilateral issues'.

Ms Lee asked if Singapore signed the agreements because it came under pressure after Indonesia banned sand exports in February.

Mr Zainul said the ban was a separate matter, adding: 'The negotiations were already well- advanced, when land sand became an issue earlier this year. It was a distraction, but not related to these talks.'