The Straits Times, June 4, 2007
Defence Minister Juwono hopeful of temporary agreement by end of next week
MOVING ON: Dr Juwono said the treaty was delayed pver issues like how often Singapore will hold firing exercises in Indonesia and their environmental impact.
INDONESIA'S Defence Minister said yesterday that he expects all outstanding issues holding up a defence treaty with Singapore to be resolved by the end of next week, paving the way for ratification of the deal.
Dr Juwono Sudarsono said the defence agreement, which was signed in April and will allow Singapore's air force and navy to train in Indonesia, was delayed because the two countries could not agree on issues including how often Singapore's forces will hold firing exercises in Indonesia and their environmental impact.
'We hope to get some kind of temporary agreement by the end of next week,' Dr Juwono said on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Indonesia and Singapore signed the treaty with an extradition pact Jakarta had sought from Singapore for several years. Both need to be ratified by the countries' parliaments.
Indonesia wants to use the extradition deal to track down fugitive business executives it says owe money to the authorities, and who may live in Singapore.
Singapore said last month that the extradition treaty will come into effect only once problems over the defence pact are resolved.
Dr Juwono said Jakarta wants to spell out how often Singapore's armed forces will conduct live firing exercises in Indonesia, but Singapore feels such an arrangement would be inflexible and would make 'substantive changes' to the agreement.
He said he is also worried that frequent firing exercises in Indonesia by Singapore forces may damage the environment.
'If there is a lot of live firing, missile firing at a target, say an old ship, it would damage the environment,' he said.
'We want to strictly limit the environmental damage. That is reasonable, I think.'
He added: 'It's now at the level of discussing technical details about the rules of engagement and about the frequency of naval exercises by the Singapore navy within Indonesian territorial waters.'
Dr Juwono also told television news that Indonesian lawmakers have concerns over sovereignty issues.
He said: 'I have explained to them that in this globalised world, there is no absolute sovereignty.
'We must cooperate with Singapore, we must tap into Singapore's agility and resource so we can work together at the army, navy and air force levels because we have a tremendous symbiotic relationship. We must face up to the competition from big countries.'
Singapore's Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said yesterday that Jakarta had asked for some changes to the defence pact, and Singapore had conveyed its view on those, but declined to be more specific.
REUTERS
Defence Minister Juwono hopeful of temporary agreement by end of next week
MOVING ON: Dr Juwono said the treaty was delayed pver issues like how often Singapore will hold firing exercises in Indonesia and their environmental impact.INDONESIA'S Defence Minister said yesterday that he expects all outstanding issues holding up a defence treaty with Singapore to be resolved by the end of next week, paving the way for ratification of the deal.
Dr Juwono Sudarsono said the defence agreement, which was signed in April and will allow Singapore's air force and navy to train in Indonesia, was delayed because the two countries could not agree on issues including how often Singapore's forces will hold firing exercises in Indonesia and their environmental impact.
'We hope to get some kind of temporary agreement by the end of next week,' Dr Juwono said on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue.
Indonesia and Singapore signed the treaty with an extradition pact Jakarta had sought from Singapore for several years. Both need to be ratified by the countries' parliaments.
Indonesia wants to use the extradition deal to track down fugitive business executives it says owe money to the authorities, and who may live in Singapore.
Singapore said last month that the extradition treaty will come into effect only once problems over the defence pact are resolved.
Dr Juwono said Jakarta wants to spell out how often Singapore's armed forces will conduct live firing exercises in Indonesia, but Singapore feels such an arrangement would be inflexible and would make 'substantive changes' to the agreement.
He said he is also worried that frequent firing exercises in Indonesia by Singapore forces may damage the environment.
'If there is a lot of live firing, missile firing at a target, say an old ship, it would damage the environment,' he said.
'We want to strictly limit the environmental damage. That is reasonable, I think.'
He added: 'It's now at the level of discussing technical details about the rules of engagement and about the frequency of naval exercises by the Singapore navy within Indonesian territorial waters.'
Dr Juwono also told television news that Indonesian lawmakers have concerns over sovereignty issues.
He said: 'I have explained to them that in this globalised world, there is no absolute sovereignty.
'We must cooperate with Singapore, we must tap into Singapore's agility and resource so we can work together at the army, navy and air force levels because we have a tremendous symbiotic relationship. We must face up to the competition from big countries.'
Singapore's Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean said yesterday that Jakarta had asked for some changes to the defence pact, and Singapore had conveyed its view on those, but declined to be more specific.
REUTERS
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