Defense ministry to host discussion

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