Jakarta (ANTARA) – Minister of Defense Prabowo Subiantohas expressed full support for military cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore based on the principles of equality, mutual benefit, and respect for sovereignty.Subianto conveyed his support while receiving a courtesy call from the chief of the Singaporean Defense Force, Lieutenant General Melvyn Ong, at the Ministry of Defense Building here on Monday.

During the meeting, the two discussed the military cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore that has been established in various fields and ways to strengthen it.

Subianto said he is optimistic that, after the implementation of the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Indonesia and Singapore, defense interaction and cooperation between the two countries will improve.

This would also lead to the improvement of the two countries’ defense human resources.

Subianto emphasized that the Ministry of Defense is committed to improving the existing defense cooperation between the two countries to ensure peace in the region and in the world.

The bilateral defense cooperation is expected to grow further and become more mutually beneficial, thereby contributing to the region’s stability, he remarked.

One of the priorities of Indonesia and Singapore’s defense cooperation is education. The Ministry of Defense will develop more intensive cooperation in that field.

Meanwhile, an annual forum for Indonesia-Singapore defense cooperation will be formed soon and a military sub-committee will be a part of it.

The two countries’ armed forces are expected to use the forum for further discussions on military cooperation in various fields and to forge new collaborations.

Subianto and his Turkish counterpart Hulusi Akar inked a defense cooperation action plan between Indonesia and Turkiyein Bakanliklar, Ankara, on Friday.

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Source: Antara News Agency