Indonesia, Philippine bolster security ties<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia and the Philippines agreed on Monday to strengthen
\nsecurity cooperation to fight terrorism and curb transnational
\ncrimes in the region by intensifying naval patrols along the
\nborder between the two countries.<\/p>\n
\"President Megawati and I have agreed to strengthen the
\nproposal discussed at the ASEAN summit for ASEAN nations to share
\nintelligence information on transnational crimes and to keep
\ntighter control over our borders,\" visiting Philippines President
\nGloria-Macapagal Arroyo said in a joint media statement issued
\nhere after a face-to-face meeting with President Megawati
\nSoekarnoputri.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia and the Philippines have found a common goal in
\nstrengthening world peace, fighting global terrorism and building
\nstronger security ... we need to prevent terrorism in our region
\nif we want trade and investment to flourish,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Arroyo further underlined that, with prolonged economic woes
\nbeleaguering the region over the last four years, it was
\nnecessary for neighboring countries to ensure security in the
\nterritory.<\/p>\n
Megawati, for her part, said that the two countries would ask
\ntheir respective military chiefs to carry out joint border
\npatrols immediately.<\/p>\n
Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda said the Philippines
\nhad increased patrols along the border of the two countries to
\ncurb the illicit trafficking of weapons.<\/p>\n
Manila would host a meeting of officials from Indonesia,
\nMalaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippine in an effort to
\ncombat terrorism, he said, without elaborating.<\/p>\n
The visit is Arroyo's first trip to Indonesia. She received a
\n21-gun salute during the welcoming ceremony at Merdeka Palace.
\nMegawati hosted a state banquet in honor of Gloria on Monday
\nevening.<\/p>\n
The two leaders also witnessed the signing of four agreements
\ncovering energy, tourism, fisheries and investments.<\/p>\n
Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro
\ntold journalists on Monday that Indonesia had agreed to supply
\ncoal and natural gas to the Philippines and to cooperate in
\ngeothermal energy development and supplies of LNG, including from
\nthe Pangguh gas field, beginning in 2005.<\/p>\n
Purnomo said the Philippines would need some 35 million tons
\nof coal by 2005.<\/p>\n
President Arroyo is scheduled to meet People's Consultative
\nAssembly Speaker Amien Rais and Indonesian business community
\nleaders before flying back to Manila on Tuesday.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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