RI, Australia to Rebuild Defense Cooperation: Minster

Jakarta (Antara) - Indonesia and Australia inked the Joint Understanding of a Code of Conduct (CoC) in Nusa Dua, Bali, on Thursday, to rebuild defense, military, and intelligence cooperation, stated Political, Law and Security Minister Djoko Suyanto. Foreign Affairs Minister Marty Natalegawa and his Australian counterpart Julie Bishop signed the CoC in the presence of President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. The CoC is within the framework of the security cooperation between Indonesia and Australia, called the Lombok Treaty. "We will follow up the signing of the CoC with effective communication with Australia," Suyanto noted in his written statement on Thursday night. The security minister remarked that Defense Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro, National Defense Forces (TNI) Chief General Moeldoko, and the Army, Navy, and Air Force chiefs of staff will communicate with the Australian side, he revealed. He added that with the signing of the CoC, there will be a full restoration of communication between the armed forces of the two countries as they will be able to ensure the kind of cooperation that is needed in the future. (*)