Envoy Lauds Indonesia-France Defense Ties

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Indonesian Ambassador to France Arrmanatha Nasir lauded the bilateral defense cooperation between Indonesia and France on Friday.

The envoy said that the cooperation has become even closer amid the Covid-19 pandemic, following the second meeting between Indonesia’s Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and his French counterpart Florence Parly on Wednesday, October 21.

“Amid the Covid-19 pandemic which has caused various activities to be postponed, Indonesia-France defense cooperation has become closer,” Nasir said in a press statement issued by the Indonesian Embassy in Paris on October 23.

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Nasir said the second meeting between Prabowo and Florence in Paris showed that the communication and defense ties between the two countries have been intensified.

“This can be seen not only from the intensity of communication between the two defense ministers but also from the activities of the strategic defense equipment cooperation working group which met twice this year,” he said.

The previous meeting took place on January 13 this year when the two ministers agreed on enhancing defense cooperation into a Defense Cooperation Agreement.

The agreement will be the umbrella for comprehensive defense cooperation on military education and training, maritime security, and counterterrorism. It will also cover collaborations in defense industry development and strengthening capacity in handling disasters such as the Covid-19 pandemic that are affecting both countries.

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The cooperation is based on a letter of intent to increase defense cooperation in maritime security and maritime cooperation which was signed in 2017.

Meanwhile, since 2013 bilateral defense cooperation in the field of training and education, mutual visits and the eradication of terrorism have been discussed through the Indonesia-France Defense Dialogue (IFDD) forum.

(Writer: Achmad Nasrudin Yahya | Editor: Krisiandi)

Source: https://nasional.kompas.com/read/2020/10/23/11513221/kbri-paris-kerja-sama-pertahanan-ri-perancis-kian-erat.