Navy plans exercises in Ambalat<\/p>\n
Agence France-Presse, Jakarta<\/p>\n
The Indonesian Navy will hold massive naval exercises off the
\neastern coast of Borneo, including in waters disputed with
\nneighboring Malaysia, a Navy spokesman said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The exercise, codenamed Armada Jaya XXY, will include a beach
\nlanding by marines in Sangata, just south of the border with
\nMalaysia's Sabah state, and maneuvers in part of the Celebes Sea
\nalso claimed by Malaysia, Eastern Fleet Spokesman Lt. Col. Toni
\nSyaiful told AFP.<\/p>\n
Toni declined to describe the exercise as a \"show of force.\"<\/p>\n
Instead he quoted Navy Chief Admiral Slamet Subiyanto as
\nsaying Monday: \"that is our own backyard, what is wrong in us
\nconducting an exercise in our own territory?\"<\/p>\n
The exercises officially kicked off on Monday, but deployments
\nto the area will only begin on Dec. 8. They would continue until
\nDec. 14, Toni added.<\/p>\n
A total of 40 ships, two aircraft and two helicopters as well
\nas 5,000 men from various Navy units, will take part in the
\nexercise, which, according to him \"is the largest exercise ever
\nheld\" by Indonesia.<\/p>\n
He said that the exercise was a simulation of an attack on the
\ncountry by \"enemy forces\" and would include maneuvers in the
\nwaters above the Ambalat oil block in the Celebes Sea.<\/p>\n
In April, warships from Indonesia and Malaysia collided with
\neach other near the Ambalat block, but no serious damage
\nresulted.<\/p>\n
Tension between the two countries has increased since Malaysia
\ngranted permission to Anglo-Dutch oil giant Shell Group to
\nconduct exploration of the area last year.<\/p>\n
Since then, the two countries have deployed warships to the
\ndisputed area and stepped up their respective patrols in the
\narea.<\/p>\n
\"Although it was officially launched on Monday, the first
\nstages would not involve troop and ship deployments, but concern
\nproblem analyzing, planning strategy and tactical moves and
\npreparing for deployment,\" Toni said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/navy-plans-exercises-in-ambalat-1447893297",
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