National

Indonesian Still Requires Technical Support in Securing Malacca Straits
Wednesday, 03 August, 2005 | 10:08 WIB

TEMPO Interactive, Jakarta:Indonesian Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono has said that Indonesia still requires patrol boats, surveillance and espionage equipment as well as other defense equipment to maintain security and support coordinated patrol activities in the Malacca Straits.

Therefore, the government is still keeping opportunities open for foreign countries, including the USA, Japan and China, to provide support.

“Foreign countries may provide support but only in the form of technical support,” Sudarsono said after opening the Third Security Dialogue between Indonesia and the United States on Tuesday (02/08) in Jakarta.

He insisted that only the three countries in the waters of the Malacca Straits-- Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia--could be involved in handling the security in the straits.

Regarding technical support provided by other foreign countries, Sudarsono declined to give further comment.
“Let the Minister of Foreign Affairs provide details after he has returned from Batam,” he said.

According to Sudarsono, the three countries in the Malacca Straits only want to receive support that reflects the sovereignty of the three countries. (Sunariah-Tempo News Room)