Top naval officers to meet

Top naval officers to meet

JAKARTA (JP): Top naval officers from 15 countries in the
region will gather here next week to discuss issues of
cooperation and conflict in the western Pacific Ocean.

Rear Admiral Arief Kushariyadi, the Indonesian Navy's deputy
chief for operation, said the Aug. 15-16 meeting is also intended
to build mutual confidence and trust among the naval forces
grouped in the Western Pacific Naval Symposium.

The symposium members are Australia, Brunei, Cambodia,
Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, the United States and
Vietnam.

Kushariyadi said Indonesia has also invited naval officers
from China, France, Russia and Canada to take part as observers
at the forum, the fourth to be held, Antara reported.

He said that the informal forum is expected to eliminate any
remaining suspicion among those members who regard their
neighbors' naval forces as a potential threat to security.

The forum is also expected to discuss possible solutions to
current conflicts in the region, he said without elaborating.

The forum coincides with the gathering of more than 40
warships from various countries that will take part in a "Fleet
Review" in Jakarta's Tanjung Priok harbor, held in conjunction
with Indonesia's 50th anniversary.

Meanwhile, China's Liberation Army Daily reported yesterday
that a fleet of three People's Liberation Army naval ships have
left southern China to participate in Indonesia's independence
celebrations, Reuters said.

The ships, a frigate, a destroyer and a tanker, steamed out of
Zhanjiang, in southern Guangdong province, on Wednesday,

The flotilla, headed by Wang Yongguo, Rear Admiral and
Commander of the South China Sea fleet, has come at the
invitation of Jakarta, the newspaper said. (emb)