"So, Singapore`s interest in the defense cooperation agreement (DCA) is not in the context of defense cooperation in general terms, but only because it needs land in Indonesia," he told ANTARA News here on Tuesday.
His statement came ahead of the annual meeting between President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono and Singapore prime minister Lee Hsien Loong scheduled for next month.
Tjahjo, who is also a member of the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Commission I, said Indonesia, indeed, needs to negotiate an extradition agreement with that country.
"Although meetings have been held regularly between officials from the two countries, Indonesia has never signed the DCA while Singapore, on the other hand, also would not sign the extradition agreement," he said.
In terms of defense, he said, Singapore`s weapons systems remain far above that of Indonesia. Singapore, meanwhile, also has a defense agreement with other countries under the Five Power Defense Agreement (FPDA) which includes Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia.
Tjahjo said one of the clauses in the FPDA states that an attack on one of the member countries is an attack on the other members, as well.
With regard to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he hoped the ASEAN Community could be formed by 2015, but he doubted if Indonesia could play a major role in it, so that Singapore would no longer need to make approaches to Indonesia.
Tjahjo further said he hoped the upcoming meeting between the President and Singaporean officials would not be merely ceremonial or only benefit Singapore.
"I think the foreign ministry and the ministry of defense, as well as other ministries concerned, must formulate a more integral and comprehensive agenda for the talks in the interests of bilateral cooperation between Indonesia and Singapore," he said.
(T.D007/H-YH/INE/F001)
Editor: Priyambodo RH
Copyright © ANTARA 2012
