Juwono says S'pore defense pact talks must be continued

The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Tue, 07/10/2007 11:11 AM

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After a standoff over Singapore's desire to use Indonesia's Bravo Area for military training, the two countries have agreed to continue negotiations on the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA).

Defense Minister Juwono Sudarsono said Monday that both sides had agreed to return to the negotiating table for discussions over the implementing agreements attached to the DCA.

""The heads of the governments from the two countries have agreed that negotiations must continue,"" Juwono was quoted as saying by Antara news agency.

The resumption of talks, Juwono said, would, however, await a cooling of tensions between the countries, which were heightened following the standoff over Bravo Area.

Juwono earlier claimed Singapore attempted to undermine the DCA negotiations by unilaterally demanding 15 days access to Bravo Area each month for military exercises. Bravo Area is a slot of Indonesian territory in Natuna regency, Riau Islands province, facing the South China Sea. Singapore is seeking use of the area for air force training, naval maneuvers and missile firing exercises.

Indonesia, citing environmental concerns, is pushing for the area to be used for between four and six months a year.

However, Singapore has rejected Juwono's claim. The city-state's Foreign Ministry said it has never made such a proposal to Indonesia.

The Singaporean ministry said it was Indonesia that refused to sign the DCA's implementing agreements, which had been agreed to on April 23, and had asked for substantive changes to the documents.

Juwono said that after the deadlock, both sides would likely wait for diplomatic strains to ease and is optimistic that the agreement would be ratified and wrapped up in 2008.

""The most important thing is that we have agreed to resuming negotiations. We will just wait because we aim to have the treaty ratified in 2008,"" Juwono said.

The extradition treaty, the DCA and its four associated implementing agreements were signed by the Indonesian and Singaporean governments on April 27 in Bali in the presence of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

In addition to Bravo Area, the controversial DCA also allows the Singaporean Armed Forces to use the nearby Alpha Area and the Baturaja training ground in South Sumatra.

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