"Since a clarification and apology (was issued by the Australian government), I think the problem has been addressed decently," Kalla stated.Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice President Jusuf Kalla made assurance that the problem in military cooperation between Indonesia and Australia had been addressed properly.
"Since a clarification and apology (was issued by the Australian government), I think the problem has been addressed decently," Kalla stated here, Friday.
An Australian Defense Force (ADF) member had allegedly insulted the Indonesian state ideology of Pancasila, thereby resulting in Indonesias national military (TNI) temporarily suspending its military cooperation with Australia.
Kalla believed that the suspension was an important measure to be taken by the authority to assert that every country must respect other nations.
"Hence, Indonesias government should react when an inappropriate act (against our country takes place). Since this is a military issue, the response was delivered by the TNI," he added.
Earlier, Indonesias Military Commander General Gatot Nurmantyo remarked that the chief of staff of the Australian Air Force Marshal Mark Donald Binskin had offered an apology in the Pancasila insult case.
"I thank the Australian Air Force Chief of Staff Marshal Mark Binskin for the apology and the decision to review the ADF curriculum and investigate the case," he noted.
In his letter, Marshal Binskin tendered an apology and revealed his plans to improve the curriculum and conduct an investigation as well as to send the Australian Army chief to visit the Indonesian armys chief of staff and commander to seek an apology and offer a clarification on the incident.
As the result of the investigation is awaited, cooperation in the field of military language training between Indonesia and Australia has been currently suspended.(*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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