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SBY thanks McCain for US support to modernize RI military
RI-US relation: Prsident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono welcomes visiting Senator John McCain at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Tuesday
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RI-US relation: Prsident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono welcomes visiting Senator John McCain at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Tuesday. (Courtesy of Presidential Office) (Courtesy of Presidential Office)
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span class="inline inline-center">RI-US relation: Prsident Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono welcomes visiting Senator John McCain at the Presidential Office in Jakarta on Tuesday. (Courtesy of Presidential Office)
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has thanked visiting US senator John McCain for his country's support to help modernize the Indonesian Military's (TNI) weaponry system.
'We thank the US Congress, especially for its military cooperation, including in modernizing our military weaponry system,' Yudhoyono said as he welcomed McCain to the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday, as quoted by Antara news agency.
Yudhoyono said that Indonesia's military weapons had not been sufficiently modernized for almost 20 years. With stronger defense cooperation, he added, it was hoped that Indonesia and the US could work more closely to help create a more stable and peaceful Asian region. Only in such conditions could Indonesia and other countries develop their economic potential, he went on.
Yudhoyono asserted that Indonesia rejected the use of military action to solve problems, and instead would continue to put forward political and diplomatic approaches to create stability in the region.
In 1991, the US Congress banned Indonesia from buying US weapons to upgrade its military weapons system, following allegations of gross human rights violations in Santa Cruz, East Timor.
All weaponry systems must be rejuvenated regularly.
After more than 20 years, the US agreed to sell its military weapons ' both new and used ' to Indonesia, including three of the 24 units of F-16 Fighting Falcon Block 521Ds once used by the US National Air Force Reserves.
In a recent development, the Indonesian Army said it planned to buy eight units of AH-64D Apache fighting helicopters from their manufacturer, the Boeing Company.
If the plan is realized, the Army will operate two types of fighting helicopter at once, namely Mil Mi-35Ps from Russia and AH-64D Apaches from the US. (put/ebf)
