Defense ministry to host discussion

JAKARTA: The Ministry of Defense will host a roundtable discussion here in January on the future of the country's defense industry.

"All relevant ministries and local arms suppliers, engineering experts, military analysts and critics from various non- governmental organizations are expected to come to the discussion," the ministry's procurement director general Aqlani Masa said on Monday.

The ministry, he said, would define a strategy for developing the defense industry to end the country's dependence on foreign suppliers.

Indonesia has been purchasing military arms from eastern Europe since the United States imposed an arms embargo in 1992.

Aqlani said no foreign countries would be involved in the discussion. -- JP