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RI may re-evaluate defense partnership with Brazil: House
The House of Representatives' Commission I overseeing political, security and foreign affairs has supported the Foreign Ministryâs decision to recall the Indonesian ambassador-designate to Brazil, Toto Riyanto, in protest at Brasilia's delay in accepting the envoy's credentials
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T
he House of Representatives' Commission I overseeing political, security and foreign affairs has supported the Foreign Ministry's decision to recall the Indonesian ambassador-designate to Brazil, Toto Riyanto, in protest at Brasilia's delay in accepting the envoy's credentials.
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff refused to accept Toto's credentials on Friday in apparent anger at the execution of Brazilian drug convict Marco Archer Cardoso Moreira in a Central Java prison last month.
'The emotive behavior of the Brazil government will aggravate the bilateral relationship between the two countries,' Commission I deputy chairman Tantowi Yahya said on Saturday.
He said that Indonesia and Brazil had cooperated in the defense sector.
'Indonesia and Brazil have been partners and we allocated some funds in the 2009-2014 state budget to purchase Super Tucano aircraft from Brazil to safeguard our coastline,' Tantowi said. Besides the Super Tucano, Indonesia has also ordered multiple-launch rocket systems (MLRS) from Brazil.
Tantowi said that legislators would discuss with the Defense Ministry to evaluate whether Brazil's government had changed their unfriendly attitude toward Indonesia.
Apart from weapons systems, Indonesia is also an important meat importer and Brazil is trying to export meat to Indonesia.
'I think Brazil is in the position that it needs us more. We have an emergency situation with drugs and we don't need to be afraid of pressure from Brazil and Australia,' Tantowi said.
Another Brazilian national, Rodrigo Muxfeldt Gularte, is also facing the death penalty for drug trafficking offenses. (+++++)
