By Prashanth Parameswaran
Both sides will elevate defense ties and deepen maritime cooperation, sources tell The Diplomat.
The United States and Indonesia are set to elevate their defense relationship and deepen maritime security cooperation during the upcoming visit of Indonesian president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to Washington, D.C., sources told The Diplomat ahead of the visit.
Jakarta and Washington have already been cooperating in the defense realm, which has been furthered within the security working group of the U.S.-Indonesia comprehensive partnership signed in 2010 under Jokowi’s predecessor Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.
But over the past year, officials from both sides have been stressing the need to elevate and expand defense cooperation (See: “US, Indonesia Looking to Boost Military Ties: Officials”). As Indonesian foreign minister Retno Marsudi said during her address to the U.S.-Indonesia Society in Washington, D.C. last month, U.S.-Indonesia defense cooperation “should be more strategic and comprehensive” (See: “Indonesia Defends its Foreign Policy Record Under Jokowi”).
As part of this effort, sources close to the planning of the visit told The Diplomat that during Jokowi’s visit from October 25 to 28, the two countries will issue a joint statement comprehensively laying out the areas for future security and defense cooperation and ink a new memorandum of understanding focused on the maritime domain (See: “Exclusive: What to Expect in US-Indonesia Relations During Jokowi’s Visit“).
Read the full story at The Diplomat