Australia and Indonesia sign new defence agreement
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The news: Australian and Indonesian troops will be able to train and operate from each other’s countries after Canberra and Jakarta signed a new defence co-operation agreement which has been viewed as the most important deal between the two nations in decades.
The context: Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Defence Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles today welcomed Indonesian President-elect Prabowo Subianto to Parliament House in Canberra today.
In their first meeting since Subianto’s election victory in February, the leaders signed a new treaty-level agreement which allows reciprocal access by both countries to each other’s military facilities.
The agreement will allow for increased joint training activities to be conducted by the Australian and Indonesian defence forces at a time of increased tensions in region.
What they said: "This historic treaty will bolster our strong defence co-operation by deepening dialogue, strengthening interoperability, and enhancing practical arrangements," Albanese said.
“It will be a vital plank for our two countries to support each other’s security, which is vital to both countries, but also to the stability of the region that we share.”
Marles said it was a "profoundly significant" moment for the relationship between the two countries.
“What this agreement will do is provide for much greater interoperability between our defence forces,’ Marles said.
“It will provide for much more exercises between our defence forces, and will see us working together in the global commons to support the rules based order.
“And importantly, it will allow us to operate from each other’s countries, and in that sense, this agreement will be the deepest, the most significant agreement that our two countries have ever made.”
Prabowo said: “We have ironed out some legalistic details. I think it’s a very good outcome".
The source: Prime Minister's media statement
