RI opposes U.S. deployment in Malacca Straits<\/p>\n
Tiarma Siboro, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
Indonesia has joined Malaysia in opposing a United States plan to
\ndeploy troops in the Malacca Straits, arguing that Indonesia and
\nMalaysia were solely responsible for guarding one of the world's
\nbusiest waterways.<\/p>\n
Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Marty Natalegawa said
\nthat a 1982 maritime convention clearly stipulated that Indonesia
\nand Malaysia had the right to ensure security of navigation in
\nthe Malacca Straits.<\/p>\n
\"We (Indonesia and Malaysia) are committed to fighting
\nterrorist threats, including those that might take place at sea,\"
\nMarty told The Jakarta Post by phone on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
Marty was commenting on a statement by the U.S. military
\ncommander in the Asia Pacific region, Adm. Thomas Fargo, that his
\ncountry was considering deploying marines and special forces on
\nhigh speed vessels along the Malacca Straits to thwart terrorists
\nin one of the world's busiest waterways.<\/p>\n
Fargo said that the deployment of U.S. forces along the narrow
\nstraits was part of Washington's new counterterrorism initiative
\nto help Southeast Asia.<\/p>\n
His statement immediately drew a strong reaction from
\nneighboring Malaysia.<\/p>\n
Malaysia Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said last week that
\nKuala Lumpur had no plans to seek military help from the United
\nStates to guard the Malacca Straits against possible attacks on
\ncommercial ships by Islamic militants.<\/p>\n
The task of guarding the world's busiest shipping lane, Najib
\nsaid, was the joint responsibility of Malaysia and Indonesia.<\/p>\n
More than a quarter of the world's trade and oil passes
\nthrough the narrow straits, which straddle Indonesia, Malaysia
\nand Singapore, and although the waterway has seen no major
\nterrorist acts, piracy is rampant.<\/p>\n
Security experts have warned of the possibility of an alliance
\nbetween the pirates and terrorists, something that has made the
\nwaterway a key focus of the US military's Regional Maritime
\nSecurity Initiative.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, Singapore confirmed Tuesday it had held talks with
\nthe United States over the possibility of US forces protecting
\nthe Malacca Straits from terrorists.<\/p>\n
\"Maritime security is obviously a key concern for Singapore.
\nWe have been having discussions on this subject at multilateral
\nforums as well as with a number of countries, including the US,\"
\na defense ministry spokeswoman was quoted as saying by AFP.<\/p>\n
\"Combating the threats of piracy and maritime terrorism
\nrequires the efforts of both the regional countries and extra-
\nregional countries that have a stake in the safety and freedom of
\nnavigation in regional waters,\" she said.<\/p>\n
However, the spokeswoman declined to explicitly confirm
\nFargo's claim that Singapore fully backed the US plan to deploy
\nsoldiers in the straits.<\/p>\n
Marty said the United States had never discussed the plan with
\nIndonesia, and indeed \"we are keen to ensure that none of its
\npolicies contravene the (1982) convention.\"<\/p>\n
\"There have been general discussions about transportation
\nsafety at sea and the threat of terrorism. But until now, we
\n(Indonesia and the U.S.) have never discussed the deployment of
\nAmerican troops at particular places inside our territory,\" Marty
\nsaid.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-opposes-us-deployment-in-malacca-straits-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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