Due to its strategic location at a number of key international maritime straits, especially the Malacca Strait, Indonesia remains the most important hub of regional security.
Maritime and Fisheries Minister Syarif Cicip Sutarjo said here over the weekend that the governments of Indonesia and the United States have agreed to continue their cooperation in the fields of maritime and fisheries.
Syarif added that the two countries sought to continue the cooperation because, for the United States, Indonesia has a significant value in its fishery production, as well as its aquatic environments.
"We will continue our cooperation, that has been running as a joint Committee on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)," Sharif said.
He noted that the cooperation with the United States would also be in conjunction with various programs of the Maritime and Fisheries Ministry, especially in the fields of science and economy.
Syarif further explained that the Maritime and Fisheries Ministry would also cooperate with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) in dealing with climate change and food security.
Through flexible and responsive programming, USAID plays a leadership role among donors, most notably in civil society development, decentralization, natural resources management, and health and humanitarian assistance.
Officials noted that USAID is partnering with Indonesia to enable a brighter and more prosperous future for all of the country`s people.
Therefore, Syarif said support from the United States and cooperation were also needed in the effort to combat illegal fishing and the application of an ecosystem approach to fisheries management in Indonesia.
Besides, other cooperation with the US includes the implementation of the "Port State Measure" program, small scale fishermen empowerment, and the enforcement of fishery products quality standards set by the United States.
It was further noted that the United States has important economic, commercial, and security interests in Indonesia.
Meanwhile, US Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel said Indonesia was an important country, especially in fisheries production and in its protection of its wide territorial waters.
Marciel also said his country would strongly support the Coral Triangle Initiative (CTI) program, which was considered useful for improving food security.
The RI-US cooperation began in 2003 through a nautical partner program which was strengthened with the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation in science, technology, and application marine and fisheries fields in 2007.
In the cooperation with NOAA, the two countries conducted a joint exploration in the Sangihe Talaut waters in North Sulawesi in 2010.
Of note, the United States maintains a strong national security interest in Indonesia and the two nations share a long history of friendship and mutual support.
As the world`s fourth most populous state, and largest Muslim country, Indonesia can play a fundamentally important role in efforts to combat terrorism and maintain political stability in Southeast Asia.
The two countries also share a common goal of maintaining peace, security, and stability in the region, and engaging in a dialogue on threats to regional security.
Further, late in October 2011, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono expressed hope that defense cooperation between Indonesia and the United States could be stepped up.
During a courtesy call by US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta in Nusa Dua resort, Bali, on October 24, President Yudhoyono hoped that the defense cooperation between the two countries could be maintained and increased.
"I am grateful for the defense cooperation between the two countries and I hope it will continue to be maintained and stepped up," President Yudhoyono said at the closed-door meeting with Defense Secretary Leon Panetta at that time.
At the meeting with President Yudhoyono, Panetta also expressed his enthusiasm about Bali`s natural attractiveness, its unique culture and its people`s friendliness.
After the meeting, Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Djoko Suyanto said Yudhoyono and Panetta discussed ways to increase the two countries? cooperation.
Djoko added that the new US defense secretary was also eager to maintain cooperation with ASEAN countries, especially Indonesia, because the two countries had a long history of bilateral relations in the maritime field and in counter-terrorism strategies.
Purnomo Yusgiantoro and Panetta also met on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministerial Meeting to discuss military cooperation .
Purnomo said that in the meeting, the US government expressed a commitment to providing Indonesia with major armaments.
Besides that, Purnomo said, the US also supported the plan to establish an ASEAN Security Community in 2015.
"Indonesia will also develop a maritime security system, because two-thirds of its area consist of waters," he said.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa also said, in July this year, that Indonesia and the US have pledged to strengthen cooperation in the trade and education sectors.
After a bilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton in Nusa Dua, Bali, Marty noted that cooperation between the two countries in trade and investment, education, security, energy and environment would continue to be stepped up and strengthened.
At that time, Clinton also underlined her intention to increase the volume of trade between the US and Indonesia.
"Indonesia is the largest economic power in ASEAN, but we only had US$20 billion in trade last year. This is lower compared to our trade with Malaysia, which reached US$40 billion.
We see the potential to increase trade with Indonesia," Clinton said.
Also, in the educational sector both ministers in their joint written statement expressed support of increasing the number of exchange students between Indonesia and the US. (*)
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Reporter: Otniel Tamindael
Editor: Jafar M Sidik
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
