Indonesia, Philippine bolster security ties
Fabiola Desy Unidjaja, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Indonesia and the Philippines agreed on Monday to strengthen security cooperation to fight terrorism and curb transnational crimes in the region by intensifying naval patrols along the border between the two countries.
"President Megawati and I have agreed to strengthen the proposal discussed at the ASEAN summit for ASEAN nations to share intelligence information on transnational crimes and to keep tighter control over our borders," visiting Philippines President Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo said in a joint media statement issued here after a face-to-face meeting with President Megawati Soekarnoputri.
"Indonesia and the Philippines have found a common goal in strengthening world peace, fighting global terrorism and building stronger security ... we need to prevent terrorism in our region if we want trade and investment to flourish," she said.
Arroyo further underlined that, with prolonged economic woes beleaguering the region over the last four years, it was necessary for neighboring countries to ensure security in the territory.
Megawati, for her part, said that the two countries would ask their respective military chiefs to carry out joint border patrols immediately.
Foreign Affairs Minister Hassan Wirayuda said the Philippines had increased patrols along the border of the two countries to curb the illicit trafficking of weapons.
Manila would host a meeting of officials from Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and the Philippine in an effort to combat terrorism, he said, without elaborating.
The visit is Arroyo's first trip to Indonesia. She received a 21-gun salute during the welcoming ceremony at Merdeka Palace. Megawati hosted a state banquet in honor of Gloria on Monday evening.
The two leaders also witnessed the signing of four agreements covering energy, tourism, fisheries and investments.
Minister for Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro told journalists on Monday that Indonesia had agreed to supply coal and natural gas to the Philippines and to cooperate in geothermal energy development and supplies of LNG, including from the Pangguh gas field, beginning in 2005.
Purnomo said the Philippines would need some 35 million tons of coal by 2005.
President Arroyo is scheduled to meet People's Consultative Assembly Speaker Amien Rais and Indonesian business community leaders before flying back to Manila on Tuesday.