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Indonesia, Australia sign action plan on maritime cooperation
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Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi (Antara/Puspa Perwitasari)
After one year of discussions, Indonesia and Australia signed an action plan on maritime cooperation in Sydney on Friday.
The cooperation includes strengthening maritime security, combatting transnational organized crimes and illegal fishing as well as addressing maritime pollution, said Foreign Minister Retno LP Marsudi, adding that discussions had begun in February, 2017.
"As a maritime nation, Indonesia sees the cooperation as very important," Retno said at Four Seasons hotel in Sydney on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Australia special summit.
Meanwhile, Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop said the country was seeking ways to combat drug trafficking.
"Our particular concern was the source of illicit drugs. We spoke about ways we can work together to disrupt drug trafficking and seize drugs," she said.
The action plan was signed by the Indonesian Foreign Ministry’s Asia-Pacific and African Affairs director general Desra Percaya and Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade deputy secretary Richard Maude.
Before the signing ceremony, the foreign ministers and defense ministers of the two countries held a two-plus-two meeting.
In addition to Retno and Bishop, the meeting was also attended by Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu and his Australian counterpart, Marise Payne. (bbn)
