Indonesia condems Australia's missile plan, warns of arms race
Indonesia condems Australia's missile plan, warns of arms race
Agencies, Jakarta/Sydney
Indonesia has warned Australia that it could be starting an arms race in the Asia-Pacific region, following the latter's plan to buy a sophisticated U.S. anti-missile defense system.
"It will not contribute to regional security, but instead destabilize the (Asia-Pacific) region," Indonesian foreign ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa told The Jakarta Post on Tuesday.
He was commenting on talks between officials of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency and Australian officials on specific projects in the ultra high-tech U.S. missile shield system dubbed "Son of Star Wars" in which Australia has announced it will participate.
As part of its A$15.8 billion (US$10.3 billion) defense budget, the Australian federal government intends to buy three air warfare destroyers for its navy. Defense minister Robert Hill said they may be armed with the SM3 missiles capable of shooting down long-range ballistic missiles.
Marty said the Indonesian government had raised its concern of such a plan when Australian foreign minister Alexander Downer visited Indonesia in December.
"But (the plan to purchase military equipment) is the sovereign right of Australia," Marty said.
Marty said the neighboring country should not deem security affairs as its exclusive policy.
"It should be discussed among countries in the region through the Asian regional forum," Marty recommended.
In his explanation last December, Downer said the program was not an offensive posture, and virtually irrelevant to the Southeast Asia region, as none of the countries in the region possessed ballistic missiles. He also assured Asians that the program would not be a threat to any countries in the region.
Australian defense minister Hill told ABC radio on Tuesday that among the specific projects being negotiated with the U.S. was the SM3 missile.
"It's got the capability to basically meet and intercept missiles outside of the atmosphere, long-range, three-stage missiles that can do what the Americans did, destroy an incoming missile 37 kilometers (23-miles) above the earth traveling at 3.7 kilometers a second," he said as quoted by AFP.
Canberra had already decided it would also buy air-to-surface attack cruise missiles which would be launched from fighter jets and surveillance planes.
"We're planning to equip our FA-18s and the P3 Orions with what you would call a cruise missile," Hill said.
Hill acknowledged earlier that Canberra was aware of criticism of its participation in the U.S. missile program by regional neighbors including Indonesia over and of suggestions it could trigger a regional arms race.