Indonesia and Australia hold defense talks as both nations move toward signing a security agreement

By ANDI JATMIKO AND NINIEK KARMINI
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Indonesia and Australia have held high-level talks in Jakarta as the neighboring countries seek to strengthen security ties by signing a defense cooperation agreement in the coming months. Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto who is set to become Indonesia’s next leader said Friday that he and Australian counterpart Richard Marles discussed ways of maintaining and enhancing the good relationship between the two nations. Subianto said that Indonesia and Australia hope to sign a “very significant” defense cooperation agreement within two or three months. No details about the agreement have been provided. Marles described the pact as “the single deepest and most significant defense cooperation agreement” in the history of the two countries.