Australia hails joint military exercises with RI<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Australian Defense Minister Senator Robert Ray
\nsays the joint exercises conducted by Australian and Indonesian
\nforces have contributed to the strengthening of overall bilateral
\nrelations between the two countries.<\/p>\n
Speaking to reporters after meeting President Soeharto, Ray
\ndescribed that officers from both countries who are involved in
\nthese exercises will become \"friends for life\" that problems that
\nmay raise later could be resolved \"between friends\".<\/p>\n
Ray, accompanied by his Indonesian counterpart Edi Sudradjat,
\npaid courtesy calls on President Soeharto and Vice President Try
\nSutrisno in their respective offices yesterday. He arrived
\nearlier, accompanied by Admiral Alan Beaumont, the chief of the
\nAustralian Armed Forces.<\/p>\n
He was given a military welcome at the Ministry of Defense and
\nSecurity which was also attended by Armed Forces Chief Gen.
\nFeisal Tanjung, Army Chief of Staff Gen. Wismoyo Arismunandar,
\nNavy Chief of Staff Admiral Tanto Koeswanto and Air Force Chief
\nof Staff Marshall Rilo Pambudi.<\/p>\n
Ray said that during his meeting with Edi, they agreed to
\nexpand the defense bilateral cooperation between the two
\ncountries to include providing military training and education
\nfor Indonesian officers.<\/p>\n
Indonesia has began sending its military officers to Australia
\nfor education and training after Washington stopped providing aid
\nfor such programs in the United States for ABRI officers.<\/p>\n
Asked whether Australia was planning to sell military
\nequipment to Indonesia, he said it would be better for the two
\ncountries to develop projects to produce defense equipment.<\/p>\n
In his meeting with Ray, Try said that Indonesia's budget for
\ndefense was still low because the government was giving priority
\nto economic development, according to the Antara news agency.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia's defense budget is still only 1.6 percent of its
\nGross Domestic Product, far below Australia's,\" Sumadi, an aide
\nto the minister\/state secretary, quoted the Vice President as
\nsaying.<\/p>\n
Try said that the main priorities in national development are
\npoverty eradication, the creation of more job opportunities and
\nimprovement of the quality of human resources. (rms)<\/p>",
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