RI to seize control over its airspace<\/p>\n
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta<\/p>\n
In a bid to take back full control of the country's airspace, the
\ngovernment plans to gradually take charge of the management of
\nregional flight information, something that is currently partly
\nundertaken by neighboring countries.<\/p>\n
Minister of Foreign Affairs Hassan Wirayuda said on Wednesday
\nthat the country was capable of fulfilling the minimum
\nrequirements needed to handle air traffic across the country.<\/p>\n
"From the diplomatic side it is necessary to take charge of
\nthese flight information regions," the minister said during a
\npress conference.<\/p>\n
"We will do it gradually. If necessary, we will establish a
\njoint venture to manage air traffic with foreign parties as the
\ntechnology is no longer as difficult as it was before," he added.<\/p>\n
Indonesia signed agreements with Malaysia and Singapore in
\n1994 under which the two neighbors agreed to assist the country
\nin providing flight information and ensuring the safety of
\ninternational air navigation within its airspace.<\/p>\n
The agreements appointed Singapore to handle the information
\nfor commercial flights from Aceh to Palembang, and Malaysia to
\ncover the airspace over Borneo island.<\/p>\n
The agreements were signed between the Indonesian Ministry of
\nTransportation and its counterparts in the two neighboring
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
The main reasons for the agreements were the country's
\ninability to oversee the entire airspace of the archipelagic
\nstate due to its poor technological capabilities.<\/p>\n
Following the loss of the Sipadan-Ligitan islets to Malaysia
\nlate last year, Indonesia decided to increase its capabilities in
\nmonitoring the country's borders.<\/p>\n
"Currently, several ministries and government institutions are
\ndiscussing the issue so that we can take full control of our
\nairspace," Hassan remarked.<\/p>\n
Another agreement that will be reviewed by Jakarta is a
\nMemorandum of Understanding with Singapore allowing the
\nneighboring country to use Indonesian airspace over the Straits
\nof Malacca for military training.<\/p>\n
The agreement was signed during former president Soeharto's
\ntime in the 1980s between the Indonesian Ministry of Defense and
\nits Singaporean counterpart.<\/p>\n
"We need to reconsider the MoU so that we retain full control
\nover our land, waters and airspace," the minister remarked.<\/p>\n
Hassan assured the public that currently Indonesia had no
\nother territorial disputes with neighboring countries as most
\nborder issues had been settled.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-to-seize-control-over-its-airspace-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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