Indonesia's Defence Minister Discusses Defence Cooperation with Japanese Counterpart

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin discussed defence cooperation with Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi on Friday. Based on information gathered by ANTARA, the meeting took place in Japan, following Sjafrie’s visit to the Pentagon in the United States. The Head of the Defence Information Bureau (Karo Infohan) of the Secretariat General of the Indonesian Ministry of Defence, Brigadier General TNI Rico Ricardo Sirait, when confirmed by ANTARA in Jakarta, stated that several issues related to defence cooperation were discussed by Sjafrie and Shinjiro. “In general, what was discussed was the strengthening of Indonesia-Japan defence cooperation, particularly in the maritime field, as well as the commitment of both parties to continue promoting mutually beneficial cooperation in accordance with the needs and priorities of each country,” said Rico. Rico did not explain in detail the types of defence cooperation discussed in the meeting. Nevertheless, Rico assured that the cooperation plans discussed by both parties would benefit Indonesia. He also assured that the meeting would further strengthen the bilateral relations between Indonesia and Japan, which have been established for quite some time. “The meeting also serves as part of the strategic communication between the two countries to follow up on future defence cooperation opportunities,” said Rico.