Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Indonesia and Australia have enhanced cooperation in transportation sector, and signed a memorandum of understanding on territorial sea borders and sea pollution.

"We will also hold a business forum in transportation sector, to attract Australian investment to Indonesia in transportation infrastructure," a spokesman of the Transportation Ministry Hengki Angkasawan said in a statement here, Wednesday.

Indonesias Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi and Australian Ambassador have also discussed the increased frequency of flight from Lombok, Labuan Bajo, and Bali to Australia.

Indonesian and Australian airlines have increased their flights route reciprocally, with Garuda Indonesia and AirAsia Indonesia have operated flights from Jakarta and Denpasar to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth.

While Qantas, Jetstar and Virgin Australia has operated flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, Darwin, Adelaide Townsville and Cairns to Denpasar and Jakarta.

"The routes are expected to promote tourism sector in both countries," Hengki said.

Indonesia and Australia, he said, has also expanded draft MoU between the Indonesias Sea Transportation Directorate General and Australias Maritime Safety Authority on territorial sea border and sea pollution countermeasures.

As a follow up of Indonesian-Australian Transport Forum in Bali last April, both countries have finalised the MoU on transportation sector as a renewal of the previous MoU that would expire by the end of 2017.

Both countries have also agreed on cooperation in Transport Safety Assistance Package (ITSAP) to regulate and promote transportation safety in accordance to the international standard.

"The meeting has also evaluated the ongoing cooperation and to accelerate as well as expand the potential of bilateral cooperation," he said. (*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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