Batam, Riau Islands (ANTARA News) - Discussions on the Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Indonesia and Singapore have come to a deadlock because the two countries have stuck to different principles, a minister said.

"The two countries still have different principles so the agreement cannot yet be implemented," Indonesian Defence Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said here on Monday.

The Indonesian and Singapore governments signed the agreements on extradition, defence cooperation and the framework of managing areas for military exercises on April 27, 2007.

The three documents were signed at Tampak Siring Palace in Bali by the two countries` foreign ministers, defence ministers and chiefs of the armed forces witnessed by Indonesia`s President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Singapore`s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loog.

The defence agreement deals with training cooperation between the two countries` armed forces under the principle of mutual benefit.

Under the DCA, Indonesia allows Singapore to use its territory for war exercise in return for the extradition of suspected Indonesian corruptors hiding in the neighboring country.

However, a number of lawmakers and the Natuna people whose area will be used for the war exercise have been opposed to the DCA.

The minister said both countries were in the process of negotiating rules to implement the DCA.

"The DCA cannot yet be implemented because there have not been implementation rules," he said. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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