During the meeting, they discussed a wide range of issues, such as defense modernization, including training and education, under cooperation between the US Department of Defense and the Indonesian Defense Ministry as well as challenges in the South China Sea.
In addition, they discussed the US strategy in the Indo-Pacific region in 2022 and the latest developments in the Russia-Ukraine war.
In a written statement, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto praised USINDOPACOM for its assistance to Indonesia in the fields of defense and humanitarian assistance.
The assistance included aid to mitigate the impact of earthquakes in Aceh and Padang, West Sumatra, as well as in locating the KRI Naggala 402 submarine that went missing in the waters off Bali last year.
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Indonesia and the US have established defense cooperation since 1950. In October 2020, the two countries agreed to enhance defense cooperation in various fields, including education and training for Indonesian military (TNI) personnel at several military educational institutions in the US, Prabowo said.
The Indonesia-US defense cooperation covers bilateral dialogs and consultations on the issues of common security, human resources development, maritime security capacity development, logistics and supplies, maritime cooperation, joint research and development, personnel professionalism, peacekeeping training, humanitarian assistance, disaster mitigation, and handling of transnational threats.
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During the meeting, Prabowo was accompanied by Vice Defense Minister, Lieutenant General M. Herindra; secretary general of the Defense Ministry, Vice Marshal Donny Ermawan Taufanto; special assistant I to Defense Minister, Lieutenant General (ret) Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin; special assistant IV to Defense Minister, Vice Admiral (ret.) Didit Herdiawan; director general of defense strategy at the Defense Ministry, Major General Rodon Pedrason; and chief of the Defense Strategy Installation Board of the Defense Ministry, Major General Yudi Abrimantyo.
Meanwhile, Aquilino was accompanied by US Ambassador to Indonesia, Sung Y. Kim; Foreign Policy Advisor Jennifer C. Galt; US Defense Attache for Indonesia, Col. Leo Liebreich; Commanders Action Group, Dr. Richard Berry; and executive assistant Capt. (N) Gregory D. Newkirk.
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Translator: Syaiful Hakim, Suharto
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
Copyright © ANTARA 2022
