Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian and Singapore military agreed to foster cooperation in keeping and maintaining regional security, especially in the Malacca Strait.

The agreement had been reached in the 14th Combined Annual Report Meeting (CARM) here on Wednesday attended by Military (TNI) Chief Admiral Agus Suhartono and SAF Commander-in-Chief Lt Gen Neo Kian Hong.

Admiral Agus said that the joint military activities of the two countries are aimed at interaction and discussing efforts of increasing bilateral cooperation, especially in raising interaction between the armies, navies, air forces and police of the two countries.

"The two countries tried to respond to the various problems taking place along the border of the two countries," Agus said.

He added that the efforts included those made in various activities like joint exercises, coordinated patrol, mutual visits, personnel exchange, increasing human resources in various civil and military training institutions, and other productive activities.

With regard to joint challenges facing ASEAN member countries such as maritime security, terrorist action, piracy, smuggling, climate change and global warming, food and energy crisis, pandemic and other illegal activities, the TNI chief hoped the CARM meeting would provide a joint forum to make efforts of overcoming the challenges.

"Especially that the two sides had proved that most of the many planned programs had been carried out well, and the two armed foces had reached maximum result of their cooperation, like Indonesia-Singapore coordinated patrols and other social services," Agus said.

The 13th CARM meeting in Singapore produced agreement in TNI-SAF close defense partnership for regional security under joint efforts like Malacca Straits Sea Patrols, Eyes in the Sky, and Indosin Co-ordinating Patrol (ISCP).

The annual CARM meetings between TNI and SAF are held in turn in the two countries.

The current meeting was attended by 19 Indonesian delegates led by Admiral Agus, and 17 Singaporian delegates led by CDF SAF. (*)R018/H-NG/B003

Editor: Jafar M Sidik
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