1.         Indonesia and Singapore jointly concluded a Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA) today. The DCA was signed by the Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean and the Indonesian Defence Minister Prof Juwono Sudarsono in Tampak Siring, Bali. The signing ceremony was witnessed by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The Defence Chiefs of the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) MG Desmond Kuek and the Indonesian National Defence Force (TNI) ACM Djoko Suyanto also signed an Implementing Arrangement relating to Military Training Areas at the ceremony. This follows the commitment made by President Yudhoyono and PM Lee in October 2005 to negotiate a DCA in parallel with an Extradition Treaty, and to conclude both agreements together as one package.

2.         A separate signing ceremony is scheduled to be held in Jakarta on 7 May 2007, at which Implementing Arrangements relating to the Air Combat Manoeuvring Range, Overland Flying Training Area and Air Weapons Range at Pekan Baru, naval gun firing at Pulau Kayu Ara, and army training at Baturaja Land Forces Training Area, are due to be signed by the Indonesian and Singapore Air Force, Navy and Army Chiefs respectively.

3.        The DCA is a mutually beneficial agreement that furthers the strong and enduring defence ties between Indonesia and Singapore. The DCA acknowledges the strategic value of the special relationship between the TNI and SAF, and is a symbol of the desire by the Indonesian and Singapore governments to enhance and strengthen the existing bilateral relations between the two armed forces through mutually beneficial cooperative activities.

4.         The DCA provides a comprehensive strategic framework for promoting bilateral defence cooperation to enhance the professionalism and inter-operability of the TNI and SAF through greater mutual access to each other’s training areas and facilities. In this regard, the DCA establishes the scope of cooperation between the TNI and SAF, which includes the development of joint training areas and facilities in Indonesia, the provision of training assistance to the TNI, and access to training areas in Indonesia for the SAF. The areas of cooperation include the following:

a.         The restoration and maintenance of the infrastructure and instrumentation for an Air Combat Manoeuvring Range in Pekan Baru in Sumatra, which would be used for air combat and intercept training by aircraft from both air forces;

b.         The restoration and maintenance of an Air Weapons Range in Pekan Baru in Sumatra, which would be used for air-to-ground weapons training by aircraft from both air forces;

c.         The provision of a Naval Gunfire Support Scoring System for use at Pulau Kayu Ara, which will allow ships from both navies to conduct naval gun firing exercises;

d.         The provision of naval technical assistance and access to naval training facilities;

e.         The development of Baturaja Land Forces Training Area in Sumatra, as well as the construction of the necessary infrastructure, to support army training by both countries;

f.          The continued training assistance provided by the SAF to the TNI in the areas of simulator training and academic courses;

g.         The use of the agreed training areas for exercising or training by the SAF with the armed forces of other countries, with Indonesia’s consent.

5.         A Defence Cooperation Committee will be established to oversee the new aspects of defence cooperation under the DCA, and to hold policy dialogues and consultations on security issues of common interest. This Committee will also recommend new cooperative activities and programmes within the framework of the DCA.

6.         The DCA and its IAs will remain in force for a period of 25 years. After the 13th year of the entry into force of the DCA and IAs, both countries may review the DCA and IAs once every 6 years. Unless otherwise agreed by both countries, the DCA and IAs will be renewed for 6-year terms after each review.

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