Aussie Air Force chief visits RI

JAKARTA: The Indonesian Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force have agreed to further boost cooperation particularly in the area of human resources development via joint training and exchange of officers.

This was decided during a meeting between visiting Australian Air Force Chief of Staff Marshall Geoff Shepherd and chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI) Gen. Endriartono Sutarto on Tuesday.

Endriartono said that the two air forces had conducted a joint training program since 1999 and so far it had been going well.

Shepherd also met with his Indonesian counterpart Marshall Djoko Soeyanto earlier in the day.

During the 40-minute meeting, Endriartono expressed gratitude for the assistance provided by the Australian military in the human relief operation in Aceh after the Dec. 26 tsunami. -- Antara